Temporary shelter for fire victims

UPDATE:

The Department of Housing and Human Settlements provided temporary shelter made of corrugated iron sheets to some victims of the 6 July shack fire

No fatalities or injuries were reported in the fire which occurred mid-morning on the corner of Vincent Tshabalala Road and 8th Avenue. The fire was extinguished by the City’s fire department assisted by residents with buckets of water.

The shelters were provided by the government’s disaster relief programme and was complemented by support from other social welfare organisations which provided clothing.

Some of the victims said they sought refuge at friends on the first bitterly cold night.

Only eight families were provided with shelter to prevent overcrowding again, while the other victims were to be accommodated at other centres.

Gauteng MEC for the department, Paul Mashatile said the assistance was provided at a time when the province and the City have approved a long-term solution to the housing problem, especially for the densely congested Alexandra. This through the Alex Development Masterplan, and by concluding purchase agreements of surrounding land and servicing of the sites.

“This will help to de-densify Alexandra, provide new accommodation at new sites to some and serviced land to others wanting to develop their own homes, while high-rise buildings are constructed in inner Alex to accommodate many,” Mashatile said. This, he said, was to ease the human density deriving from Alex’s attractiveness to job seekers who flock to the township. About 250 000 people are attracted to the province yearly.

Mashatile urged the victims to put their names on the housing register and referred them to various councillors if they were in need of more assistance.