Devastating veld fires in KZN leave 53 homeless, claim one life

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) government has mourned the loss of Muntukabongwa Gazu, 67, who died in devastating veld fires on Sunday, impacting multiple districts and leaving 53 residents homeless.

On Sunday, veld fires caused by strong winds caused damage to the King Cetshwayo, uThukela and uMzinyathi districts, with the uMfolozi, uMlalazi, Mthonjaneni and Nkandla municipalities being the hardest hit.

One dead and two injured

According to the KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), in the uMlalazi Municipality alone, 11 wards were affected, with one death and two injuries reported.

The fires caused damage to houses and vehicles.

Watch a video of houses burning here:

Cogta MEC Rev. Thulasizwe Buthelezi said 144 people were impacted by the veld fires in the district, leaving 53 people homeless, 48 houses partially damaged, and 27 houses destroyed.

“Our disaster management teams will ensure that residents impacted by the fires receive the necessary support to rebuild their lives,” Buthelezi said on Tuesday.

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Mud houses reduced to ashes

In the midst of the fire chaos, Gazu sustained severe burn injuries after his family’s five mud houses were reduced to ashes in the Ezinyosini area of Ward 1.

According to KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma, another family member, Japhet Gazu, is currently in hospital.

Duma said the roving team he assigned, led by the head of department, Mdu Zungu, is speeding up the building of a temporary residential unit to enable the family to mourn and bury their loved ones with dignity.

“We must hasten to point out that the profiling of affected families is continuing to ensure that accurate information is submitted to the emergency housing unit located in the national Department of Human Settlements. We do not want affected families to be left behind,” the MEC said.

Duma added that he agreed with Minister of Human Settlements Mmamoloko Kubayi, who suggested that alternative building technology must be introduced to ensure that fire- or flood-resistant houses are constructed for the vulnerable members of society.

The MEC is expected to visit the Gazu family and other families affected by the fires in the uMlalazi, Mthonjaneni, and Nkandla municipalities.

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