Following the devastating wildfires that ravaged Kouga municipality on January 8, Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has urged communities to support emergency efforts as most fires come under control. A red-level weather warning persists until Saturday, with humanitarian aid aiding affected areas including nearby Western Cape towns.
The wildfires that tore through Kouga municipality in the Eastern Cape on January 8, destroying homes, farms, and infrastructure while prompting evacuations and road closures, continue to burn in isolated areas. Premier Oscar Mabuyane has called on residents to cooperate with firefighters amid a red-level weather warning forecasting persistent fires until Saturday night in parts of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality and Nelson Mandela Bay.
In Kouga, most blazes are now contained, though crews are still active north of Boplaas between the N2 and R102, and in the Kabeljouws River area. Power outages linger in damaged zones.
Premier Mabuyane's spokesperson, Sonwabo Mbanganga, emphasized the coordinated response: “The Eastern Cape Provincial Government, through its Disaster Management Agency, firefighting authorities and other key stakeholders, is fully seized with the ongoing firefighting operations, containment efforts and anticipated relief interventions. Government continues to work closely with municipalities, neighbouring provinces, volunteer structures and national entities.”
Humanitarian group Gift of the Givers is providing relief, distributing clean water, non-perishable food, energy drinks, and biscuits to residents and firefighters in Elim (Cape Agulhas Municipality, Western Cape), where fires disrupted supplies. Spokesperson Corbin Mckriling said: “We were contacted by the mayor of Cape Agulhas Municipality for assistance here in Elim since the fire affected the water and electricity, and they asked for help for firefighters.” The organization is also supporting Stanford and extending aid to Jeffreys Bay and Humansdorp in the Eastern Cape.
