While Dunoon residents are slowly picking up the pieces after the weekend’s devastating fire, the City of Cape Town has said that registration of affected persons was expected to be completed on Monday.

Dunoon residents are rebuilding their lives amid what has been called the largest informal settlement fire in the Western Cape since 2013’s Khayelitsha fire.

On Disaster Risk Management spokesperson, Charlotte Powell, said that despite the initial estimation of 5,000 residents affected, their total at this stage indicates that 589 structures have been destroyed, leaving 2,456 persons displaced.

“This figure will be updated once the last registrations have been completed.

“The City’s Solid Waste Department will remove debris from the fire site today. Their Water and Sanitation counterparts are working to restore damaged infrastructure, and Eskom was on site over the weekend to repair damaged electricity infrastructure.

“Gift of the Givers is providing humanitarian relief. Once the list of affected persons has been finalised, this will be submitted to SASSA to facilitate additional relief,” Powell said.

Previously, residents have called for the assistance of the Department of Home Affairs, Department of Human Settlements, and Department of Social Development (DSD), as residents had their IDs, birth certificates and other important documentation burned.

On Sunday, Powell said that once all affected persons have been registered, the lists will be submitted to SASSA, the Provincial DSD and the National Department of Human Settlements (DSH) for relief from their side.

The provincial DSD department said officials are currently conducting on-site assessments.

“Psychosocial support will be provided to families, where requested. DSD-funded Humanitarian Relief Organisations have been alerted to be on standby for assistance.”

Home Affairs said that it will respond to inquiries, while the DSH has yet to respond.

Mayco member for Human Settlements, Carl Pophaim, had also said that the City has made R12 million available for the site to be reblocked and have contractors on standby, but also called out DSH.

“The City’s ability to act is slowed by the absence of the directive required to enable an emergency housing response from the Minister of Human Settlements. This policy gap is creating delays at a time when residents urgently need assistance.”

On Monday, Chairperson of Santaco in Dunoon, Sinethemba Matomela, 50, said that the community is hurt, and that it happened at the wrong time, with several people still in the Eastern Cape.

“It’s very painful for somebody who is in the Eastern Cape to hear that his or her structure and belongings are all burnt. Secondly, it’s the beginning of the year, so the schools will open tomorrow. So you can imagine, other parents who have already bought the stationery – everything burned down.

“It’s very, very, very painful.”

Matomela said that Gift of the Givers has been on hand to help, but that the community still needs donations, and that they are waiting on material from DSH to rebuild their structures.

“Anyone is allowed to donate whatever. With anything, so it could be clothes, food or food parcels, so it’s allowed.”

Powell added that the City thanks those organisations and members of the public who have responded to the call for donations.

“A reminder that donation drop-off points are still active on a 24-hour basis at the following fire stations: Goodwood, Roeland Street, Lakeside, Constantia, Hout Bay, Strand, Wynberg and Milnerton,” she said.

“Contributions of non-perishable foodstuffs, personal hygiene items (soap, toothpaste, face cloths, sanitary towels), nappies and baby formula, as well as blankets/bedding are welcome.”

theolin.tembo@inl.co.za

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