Kwa Mai Mai fire victims taken to temporary facility

The Johannesburg Housing MMC Mlungisi Mabaso has confirmed that they have taken all people who were affected by the fire that gutted the Kwa Mai Mai informal settlement on Sunday to a temporary shelter.

On Sunday afternoon Mabaso and the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg Mpho Phalatse were on site of the informal settlement that was destroyed by fire.

The Johannesburg’s Metro Police trucks transported the victims to a recreation centre where they will be housed for seven days while the department is looking for a permanent solution.

At least one person has been confirmed dead and another taken to hospital after a fire broke out on Sunday midnight at an informal settlement near Kwa Mai Mai.

Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Mabaso said the fire destroyed about 350 shacks displacing a number of families.

“The estimated shacks that were burnt are around 350 but we are still waiting because there are other 27 shacks that were not affected and are still standing,” said Mabaso.

Temporary structure

The department of housing has identified a land where they are going to erect temporary structures to move the victims from the facility they are currently placed at.

“What we need to engage on is to clear the site to make sure it is habitable and the department will be on site as of Monday to make sure we undertake all the processes,” added Mabaso.

He also said engagements with the department of Home Affairs are underway for verification purposes before they allocate the affected people.

Mabaso said the department is in the process of developing township establishment and the informal settlement is within the precinct.

He alluded that the victims fall under the new mixed housing development project which will have about 1500 units.

“As we are still in the process of developing township establishments, that particular facility is in the boundary that we are going to develop,” said Mabaso.

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