Homeless residents seek help after Zandspruit fire
ZANDSPRUIT – Residents live in appalling circumstances after a fire destroyed all their belongings
Khuthi Mukondeleli, from the Zandspruit Informal Settlement, lost all his belongings in a fire which destroyed scores of shacks last week.
Mukondeleli was not home when the fire started, so he could not save anything.
“I lost everything; my laptop, my clothes and even my ID,” he said.
He explained how he was surviving since his shack was destroyed.
“I’ve been wearing these same clothes since last Tuesday and have been sleeping at a friend’s place. I don’t know where I am going to sleep tonight,” he whispered.
Other victims could not save their belongings either and echoed the same sentiments as Mukondeleli.
One of the victims, Mpho Ramalira, described how some residents make a fire every night and sit around until 2am as they don’t have anywhere to go.
“I can’t even go to work; I need to be here as some of the people are promising to help us,” he said.
He complained that some people take their names and promise to assist, but nothing happens.
“These people just come here and take our names but they don’t give us any feedback. Some residents pay R500 rent to stay in the shacks but their landlords had not been in contact with them since the incident. We are without hope! We don’t even know where to go in this cold weather,” he added.
Peter Ndlovu, a labourer, said the incident happened while most of them were at work, so they couldn’t save their possessions. Democratic Alliance (DA) Mayoral Candidate for the City of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, said the conditions residents were living under is appalling.
“How can the City allow people to stay in these conditions?” he asked. Mashaba and some of the party’s members were in the area on 25 July to donate blankets to victims of the fire. He explained that handing out blankets was just a temporary solution but residents should make that a permanent solution when they go and vote on 3 August.
“I believe the ANC is neglecting these people so they will remain ignorant, illiterate and vulnerable,” said Mashaba. He said the City of Johannesburg was spending billions of rand on advertisements, rather than helping residents.
Details: Democratic Alliance Gauteng, 072 041 4842.
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