Masinenge fire claims second victim
A total of 175 shacks have been gutted down in three fires incident in Masinenge over a timeframe of two months .
A fire at Masinenge Informal Settlement last Saturday evening claimed another life and displaced 60 families.
In the last two months, 175 shacks have been gutted in three separate incidents. In the first fire on July 8, one person died and 110 families were displaced, and in the second incident on July 18, three families were left without shelter.
After last Saturday night’s incident, it was reported that a fire started in a shack close to new ones being rebuilt after the July 8 fire.
The leadership from Ugu and Ray Nkonyeni municipalities visited the scene to assess the damage last Sunday, to arrange relief and support for the victims with the disaster management team.
Local humanitarian aid organisations also visited Masinenge to assist by donating clothing, food and mattresses to the affected families.
The frequent fires has raised questions from the public and community activist groups as to what can be done to stop the recurrence of these fires. They have also called on government and authorities to come up with solutions, such as installing stand pipes in between the homes.
A commentator on social media said: “It seems that these fires are lit deliberately in order to get free new homes.”
Another stated: “The municipality or government should come up with a solution of putting these people into permanent structures to avoid these fires.”
A Masinenge community member, Luleka Magigaba said in most cases the fires start from candles which are left burning throughout the night; paraffin stoves being lit while people are under the influence of alcohol and also illegal electricity connections.
“If police can introduce curfews for taverns to close early, we could have less fires, as well as awareness campaigns to educate people on fire safety. The other issue is that people use different materials to build, if they only build with corrugated iron sheets and not plastic or wood, the fire can be contained,” said Magigaba.
The Ugu Saps District Board deputy chairperson, Selvan Chetty together with Port Shepstone Saps’s Lieutenant Colonel Thabsile Danca delivered a bakkie load of food items coordinated by the Ugu District Commissioner, Major General Sethenya Nxamagele on Monday, this week.
Lt Col Danca explained to the victims gathered at the creche for breakfast that the food will not be distributed to individual homes but would be cooked in one place.
“The food we have delivered will be cooked here by the volunteers of the soup kitchen and will not be distributed among the families as it will not be enough for everyone. Anyone who wants a meal is more than welcome to bring a container, “said Danca.
She urged the victims to be respectful to the volunteers so that all runs smoothly.
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