The remnants of the tragic inferno that ripped through the informal settlement Photo Twitter/ @GiftoftheGiver
Durban – A tragic inferno swept through the Kennedy Road informal settlement in Durban, on Sunday morning leaving in its wake a trail of devastation. Approximately 1100 shacks were destroyed. The fire claimed the life of one individual, and the whereabouts of a child remain unknown. The calamity has further upended the lives of over a thousand people, who now find themselves displaced and in dire need of assistance.
According to Bilall Jeewa, Community Liaison Officer at Gift of the Givers Foundation, there have been no reports of further casualties and efforts are underway to locate the missing child. One woman who lost her child during the fire is currently hospitalised due to severe burns sustained in the incident.
The cause of the fire
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation. There is speculation that the fire may have originated from a fight between two individuals, resulting in one person setting fire to the other’s shack, said Jeewa. However, these fire related incidents are not uncommon in informal settlements, particularly during power outages. Although none have ever been this bad.
“It’s an occurrence that takes place regularly at these informal settlements, especially during loadshedding. When lights do come back due to the illegal connections or not connected properly, you get a surge, then we do have these sorts of incidents that will take place. We’re not really sure.”
Furthermore, during these cold months, residents sometimes fall asleep with candles or gas stoves still on further increasing the risk of fire outbreaks.
Gift of the Givers’ response
Gift of the Givers, known for their rapid disaster response, has been on the ground since the early hours of the incident, providing assistance to both firefighters and the affected community. They have provided the firefighters with supplementary sustenance.
“We have been providing assistance to the firefighters who were there from about two or three in the morning and when we arrived there, they were quite exhausted and dehydrated. We gave them juices and biscuits just to keep them going till the shift changed at around 9am. With regards to the community, last night our teams were on site at the hall where they are housed. We distributed around 800 blankets, about 200 mattresses as well as diapers for moms with kids. We will look into other interventions as it is needed.”
Future plans and rehabilitation
The re-housing and long-term rehabilitation of the affected individuals are primarily the responsibility of the Department of Human Settlements, in collaboration with other relevant government departments. Immediate housing arrangements for the victims are challenging to provide, which means many may have to return to their original dwellings and salvage what they can.
“I know that they [Department of Human Settlements] wouldn’t be able to make any immediate housing arrangements for these victims. They would have to go back to their original dwellings and try and recover whatever they can and build on whatever assistance they receive from Human Settlements.”
The government, along with the assistance of organizations like Gift of the Givers, will assess the situation and consider implementing new projects to support the affected community. These projects will depend on donors who come in with their support.
“It also depends on donors who come in depending on each disaster and what the donors ask of us to perform and what is within the scope of the organisation to facilitate. We then move forward. That will depend highly on donor input on our projects. Immediate disaster relief, that’s the core focus of Gift of the Givers and all the supplementary projects thereafter take place depending on donor requirements or what donor input we receive thereafter.”
The extent of the damage at Kennedy Road highlights the urgent need for assistance and collaboration between various government departments and humanitarian organisations to address the immediate needs of the affected individuals and plan for their long-term recovery. By working together, it is hoped that the affected residents can rebuild their lives and find solace in the support and assistance provided by the community and organisations like Gift of the Givers.
