WATCH: Informal settlement residents rebuild homes in the east after braving disastrous blaze

Residents have begun rebuilding their shacks after a recent blaze gutted over 40 homes, leaving 250 people destitute in Plastic View informal settlement in Pretoria east on Saturday, November 4.

The fire allegedly broke out at around 04:00 on November 4, leaving dozens scrambling to save their belongings at the informal settlement near De Villebois Mareuil Drive in Pretoriuspark.

On Tuesday, chainsaws and hammers could be heard and several trucks seen carrying bricks and sand to replace the burnt zinc, plastic and household items destroyed by the fire.

The disaster-stricken area was full of children cleaning the debris left by the fire.

 

Rekord witnessed the community rebuilding the close-knit homes, with four-wall structures made of plastic and zinc nailed onto wooden frames.

Residents at the informal settlement say many of the shacks are occupied by families consisting of over two households.

John Munchesi, originally from Zimbabwe, who has been working for a local company for almost 10 years, told Rekord his brother, the wife and their son were able to evacuate the home they all lived in, during the wake of the fire.

He said he woke up as he heard screams that there was a blaze in one of the surrounding shacks.

“I did not check which shack the fire started in, as the fire was spreading rapidly and I was stressed about saving my belongings.

“I could not save much though, as the fire had spread to my house. We tried to save the house by using the little water we had in buckets nearby, but it was not enough.”

Munchesi said although the Tshwane emergency services responded quickly, the material used to construct their homes was prone to catching fire.

He believed Tshwane had to expedite the process of transferring informal settlements to planned social housing.

“We have lived here since 2009 and we still don’t know when we will be moved. The metro must move fast in moving us to homes that are not easily flammable as promised.

“We need running water and solid structures, not zinc and plastic.”

Munchesi said he however was discouraged that a plan for better living conditions was only for South African beneficiaries.

“If you are a foreigner, it is said you will not qualify for better housing. If that is the case, we can only live here.”

Oxes Smathi said he was one of the few people who had been injured after scrambling to evade the fire and save his belongings.

Smathi said he injured his face as he tried to flee from the fire.

“I have not been to the hospital. I have to rebuild my house as the family needs a place to stay.

“Most children have been sleeping in community members’ vehicles here, so they do not endure the pain and cold at night.

“I still need money for food as the donation received through Tshwane is not sufficient for all of the dwellers at the informal settlement.”

Smathi said the Tshwane metro had assisted with sponges to use as beds as well.

Liza Mwaramba (57) said she lived with her three sons aged 14, 20 and 28 and had to share a sponge.

“We woke up from inhaling smoke from the fire.

“The smoke was very thick. It was bad.

“The fire has left us in trauma, especially the children,” she said.

Mwaramba said she was currently unemployed and had lived in the area since 2008.

She was also aware of a plan to move people to social housing, however, she said she would not qualify.

“I will not move from here because, unlike my home country, I can hustle here [South Africa] as I have by doing recycling activities.

“Most of the things we make from recycling, the community buys also,” said Mwaramba.

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Tshwane EMS spokesperson Charles Mabaso said the metro had responded to a fire at about 04:30, which gutted 45 shacks. One person was treated and transported for smoke inhalation and moderate injuries.

“Three were treated for minor injuries on the scene, but refused transport to a medical facility.

He said on arrival, multiple shacks were found on fire.

“Firefighting operations to protect scores of unburnt shacks from being affected were initiated, whereby the fire was contained and subsequently extinguished.”

Mabaso said the metro would also intensify public awareness campaigns at the informal settlement on fire safety and disaster risk reduction.

“The cause of the fire is still under investigation.”

WATCH:

 

The metro said it was busy with plans to accommodate some inhabitants at the mixed-use building it is planning to construct close to the intersection of Garsfontein Road and De Villebois Maréuil Drive.

It is currently busy with bulk infrastructure work and as soon as that is completed, 853 structures would be built to accommodate the families of Plastic View and Cemetery View settlements in Pretoria east.

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