Two fires over the weekend in informal settlements of the Cape Peninsula have left around 700 people homeless. The blazes destroyed structures in Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, affecting 500 residents, and in Masiphumelele in Fish Hoek, impacting 200 others.
These latest incidents in Imizamo Yethu and Masiphumelele follow a pattern of destructive fires in the region's informal settlements, including a blaze in Masiphumelele on January 20 that left over 600 homeless and another there just three weeks ago.
Masiphumelele resident Philisa Mchithwa highlighted ongoing challenges: “My problem with these fires is that we have too many illegal connections because of our government. We have many fires here. Three weeks ago, we had a fire in the same area. People are still picking up the pieces and government has not done anything to help the homeless.”
Such events underscore persistent fire risks in these communities, driven by informal housing and electrical issues.