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One woman died and around 300 people were displaced as result of a fire in Kenville informal settlement in Durban. (Darren Stewart/Gallo Images)
Aid will be provided to more than 400 affected by fires in Durban, including a blaze at an informal settlement on Sunday.The informal settlement blaze claimed the life of a pregnant woman.Around 300 people were displaced.Aid is on the way to more than 400 families affected by a fire that ripped through Kenville informal settlement in Durban on Sunday, and those displaced by fires in the area in the past.
Sunday’s blaze claimed the life of a pregnant woman and displaced about 300 residents.
KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma and eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba visited the informal settlement on Monday.
He said that building materials would be delivered by Thursday at the latest for the rebuilding of 237 informal dwellings that were destroyed.
He added that building materials would also be arranged for 200 families affected by fires in the area in the past “but whose profiling took long to complete”.
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Duma said the Department of Education was taking steps to ensure that learning was not interrupted for the 89 children affected by Sunday’s blaze.
Duma said:
The long-term plan is to ensure that all families are relocated to suitable land where government and the City will build decent houses. Some of the informal settlements that have been razed down by fire are inaccessible and have been built in unsuitable land without proper planning.
“We are searching for vacant land in order to build houses for these families. Homes in poor terrain can be easily washed away during heavy rains. This applies to those who reside near rivers and waterways. With extreme weather patterns caused by climate change. Our main goal is to save innocent lives.”
In the meantime, humanitarian aid has been made available and the municipality is assisting with funeral arrangements for the pregnant woman who died.
The eThekwini Municipality and the Gift of the Givers Foundation have arranged blankets, mattresses and food for families.
The cause of Sunday’s fire is under investigation.
The municipality said the fire broke out at about 00:30.
“A team of 30 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, along with eight fire engines,” the municipality said.
“The firefighters worked tirelessly until the fire was successfully extinguished.”
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