Appeal to help DV victims
BCM asks public to give whatever they can to help more than 300 destitute Duncan Village families
Buffalo City Metro, in partnership with the Al-Imdaad Foundation, has responded to the Duncan Village fire disaster by distributing 300 blankets and a number of food parcels, as well as stationary, to those left destitute.
The metro is now calling on the public and businesses to donate anything they have to the victims of the Duncan Village disaster.
The fire, which broke out on Tuesday afternoon, destroyed more than 100 shacks, leaving more than 300 families with little but the clothes on their backs.
Those left homeless have been placed in various community halls, as well as in the schools which the children affected by the fire attend. The stationary donation is aimed at them.
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said: “We realised that the services we are offering to the victims are not going to be sustainable.
“We need more than just blankets and a couple of meals for the families. We realised we need to reach out to the community at large and run a campaign to rally them to offer, not out of their pockets but out of their hearts, whatever it is they can offer.”
Ngwenya said the aim was to run the initiative until the families had found their feet and the process of rebuilding their shelters was complete.
“People can donate anything – from food, clothes, toys, as well as building materials, anything that one is not using in the household that will assist the families.”
Items can be dropped off at the Trust Centre Building in Oxford Street, East London City Hall and the BCMM disaster management offices at the Fleet Street fire station.
Ngwenya said more BCM offices would be used as venues to drop off donations if necessary, while people living outside of East London who wanted to donate, could contact the municipality via its Facebook page.
He added: “We are trying to avoid money donations as that will open up a totally different scenario but if it leads to that, we advise that one donates in the form of a voucher or hardware store voucher.”