Following Saturday night’s devastating fire, community members of the Ethembeni informal settlement in Nomzamo made a grim discovery on Sunday (30 November).
“The body of a 27-year-old man was found by community members when they were busy cleaning this morning,” said Sergeant Mthokozisi Gama, spokesperson for Lwandle police.
He confirmed that police have opened an inquest docket and are investigating the cause of the fire.
Three other people were taken to a nearby medical facility after sustaining burn wounds during the blaze. Firefighters responded to reports of burning structures in Nombula Street at 22:45 on Saturday, confirmed Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services.
“The first arriving officer assessed the situation and, given the windy conditions, called for additional resources including an IMT Type 4,” said Carelse.
The operation required nearly 60 firefighters working through the night to suppress the flames, which were intensified by strong winds. Firefighting crews extinguished the blaze by 04:30.
During the firefighting effort, two firefighters sustained injuries, with one requiring hospital treatment.
However, the response was hampered by interference from residents, Carelse added.
“It is incredibly disappointing that firefighters were once again subjected to an unruly crowd, some of whom set about cutting some of the fire hoses,” he said.
Preliminary damage assessments indicate about 100 homes were destroyed, leaving more than 200 residents without shelter. Official figures are pending a comprehensive evaluation by the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Residents returned to survey the devastation on Sunday morning, picking through scattered belongings and ash-covered debris. Household items lay strewn across the settlement as families searched desperately for anything salvageable. Charred timber and twisted metal was loaded into containers as the long process of clearing began.
Among those who lost everything is Nokubanga Mkhitha (40), who said the fire destroyed her family home and all their possessions. She lived in the structure with her husband and two children. “The fire happened very quickly. I just heard someone shouting ‘hey, fire, fire, fire!’” she recalled.
The mother now faces the daunting reality of starting over just as the festive season approaches. “The food is gone. I don’t even have clothes for work,” she said.
For her and many other residents, Christmas will be spent trying to rebuild.
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