Residents urged to use household appliances safely
KYA SAND – Unsupervised use of paraffin stoves is major cause of fires.
Addressing residents of Kya Sand Informal Settlement on 26 June during the winter safety awareness campaign, Household Energy Safety Association: South Africa [Hesasa] community outreach officer, Joe Baleka, said it was of paramount importance for communities to ensure safe use of energy in their homes.
The campaign was launched by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies.
It was established that informal settlement residents relied abundantly on candles, paraffin stoves and heaters.
Baleka said residents should refrain from allowing young ones to light paraffin stoves in the absence of the elders. He insisted that lack of supervision was one of the major causes of fire in the informal settlement, specifically during winter. “We must stop allowing children to cook, using paraffin stoves in the absence of the elders,” he said.
Baleka said they would continue creating awareness in the informal settlement to avoid buying illegal and unregistered households appliances. He further advised residents to always keep the proof of purchase receipt when they buy household appliances.
Details: Hesasa Joe Baleka 084 962 6894.
