Temporary building material and social relief of distress grants were handed over to 45 families who were victims of a shack fire at Marikana in Cato Crest a week ago. The fire claimed the life of a 34-year-old woman and a 16-year-old suffered serious burn wounds. In the aftermath of the fire, both the Provincial Government and eThekwini Municipality’s disaster teams had been busy co-ordinating relief efforts for the 45 families who were left homeless.
KwaZulu-Natal MECs Jomo Sibiya, Nonhlanhla Khoza, Kwazi Mshengu, eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, Exco member Thanuxolo Sabelo and Ward 101 Councillor Mzi Ngiba officiated the hand- over of the building material and grocery hampers which were given to the victims on Sunday, 25 April. MEC Sibiya outlined the Human Settlements Department’s plans to eradicate informal settlements during the hand-over particularly in eThekwini. “We are really grateful for the co-ordinated manner in which this unfortunate situation has been responded to. This is a clear demonstration of a caring, humane, and responsive government. On behalf of our premier, we would also like to relay our condolences to the bereaved family and we are also wishing a speedy recovery to the teenager who suffered burn wounds during the shack fire,” said MEC Sibiya.
He further added that with the fall of the autumn and subsequently winter seasons he is urging communities habituating informal settlements to exercise extreme caution particularly with fires and refrain from overloading electricity connections as these tend to be fire hazards. Sibiya also said the Department of Human Settlements remains committed to eradicate informal settlements and transit camps and replace them with decent, safe shelter thus restoring the dignity of communities finding themselves living in such squalor conditions.
