Blaze leaves 300 households without shelter
The Gauteng government will intervene to help the more than 900 people displaced by a fire that destroyed more than 200 shacks in the Pomona informal settlement in Kempton Park, on Monday night.
The settlement is northeast of Johannesburg.
“Gauteng MEC for human settlements, urban planning and CoGTA, Lebogang Maile, was “profoundly touched by the impact of the blaze, which left more than 300 households without shelter”, department spokesperson Castro Ngobese said.
Maile has made a firm commitment that the Gauteng government will provide support to the affected families with immediate effect, working closely with Ekurhuleni municipality and relief bodies.
“The cause of the fire remains unknown, with investigations still ongoing,” Ngobese said.
“We are devastated by the effect of this fire, which has left a sizeable number of families without a roof over their head. “We commit to providing all the necessary support to the affected families, including temporary accommodation and food,” said Maile.
Maile had instructed the provincial Disaster Management Centre to dispatch its senior team to work closely on all relief efforts.
Gift of the Givers, the Red Cross and the Gauteng department of social development were all involved, with Cogta officials.
Ngobese said Maile had welcomed the assistance provided by civil society bodies
“The intervention gives meaningful expression to President [Cyril] Ramaphosa’s call for all South Africans to lend a hand,” said Maile. – News24 Wire