RESIDENTS in informal settlement are rebuilding their lives as devastating fires raged through their communities during the early hours of Sunday morning.
The fire in New Rest informal settlement in Wellington resulted in over 200 shacks being destroyed and close to 1 000 people have been left displaced as a result of the blzae
Unconfirmed reports state that two people have died in the New Rest Informal Settlement, however, community leader Mbokwene Sihle confirmed that one person has died.
She said that after the fire broke out residents are starting over and have been trying to rebuild their lives with the same burnt material.
Sihle explain: “After the fire broke out early in the morning, residents tried to rebuild them homes. For now, one person has died and others are still in hospital. Some residents were devastated because it was still new to them.”
Gift of the Givers said their teams had their hands full in Wellington on Sunday providing both communities with humanitarian relief such as baby care packs, drinking water, blankets, food and sanitary packs to name a few.
Team coordinator Ali Sablay says: “People are still full of trauma, especially the children. Gift of the Givers teams have committed to both sites for the next five to seven days.
“We can see the temperatures dropping in the evening in the Western Cape, the concern is many people in the informal settlements are not fortunate to have the means of electricity to keep themselves and their families warm.
"Coming into winter people use their paraffin stoves or fires in the homes and the slightest wind cause fires."
Another fire has also affected the informal settlement of Joe Slovo leaving hundreds of people homeless.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg explains: “Milnerton police attended to a complaint of a fire in Xhalanga Street, Joe Slovo on Sunday morning, 6 April 2025, and upon the arrival on the scene the body of an unknown man who was burnt beyond recognition was pointed out to them.
An inquest was registered for investigation and the cause of the fire is still unknown.”
Jermaine Carelse, Spokesperson for the City’s Fire & Rescue Service said 13 firefighting vehicles responded to the incident in Joe Slovo and the cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
“The City’s Fire & Rescue Service received the call of informal dwellings alight in Hlanaga Street, Joe Slovo Park in Milnerton at 3.11am on Sunday 6 April.
"Thirteen firefighting vehicles responded to the incident and the fire was extinguished after 8.00am.
"The cause has not yet been established and no injuries or fatalities were reported. At this stage assessments are still ongoing.”