Cape Town Mayor joins relief efforts after devastating Dunoon fire

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis joined City teams on the ground at Dunoon’s Site 5 informal settlement on Saturday morning (10 January), as emergency relief efforts continued following a devastating fire that swept through the area on Friday 9 January.

The blaze left hundreds of households affected, adding to a growing list of communities across South Africa impacted by an intense and unforgiving fire season.

ALSO READ: Firefighters assaulted as crews battle major blaze in Dunoon

The mayor was accompanied by the City’s Mayco member for human settlements, Carl Pophaim, as frontline staff worked to provide immediate assistance to displaced residents.

Firefighting under extreme conditions

According to the City, firefighters battled difficult, windy conditions as flames tore through the densely populated settlement, forcing the deployment of two helicopters for aerial water-bombing. The fire was eventually brought under control and extinguished at around 19:00 on Friday evening.

“This was a terrible fire, which our firefighters bravely fought to get under control in extremely challenging conditions,” said Hill-Lewis. “City teams have since been working urgently to help affected residents.”

In the aftermath of the fire, City departments mobilised rapidly to provide immediate relief. Officials from Human Settlements, Disaster Risk Management, Fire and Rescue Services, and Basic Services have been assisting residents with safety support, debris clearing, and the coordination of interim relief with non-profit organisations. Personal details are also being captured to ensure affected households can access emergency support.

“We are grateful for the care shown in this difficult time by all our staff who have spent long hours reaching out to each and every one of those affected,” Hill-Lewis said.

Calls for urgent national intervention

Pophaim reiterated the City’s call for faster intervention from national government, urging the National Department of Human Settlements to urgently release reconstruction kits to affected residents.

“We have consistently argued that rapid response is critical in fire and flood disasters, particularly in high-density informal settlements,” Pophaim said. “The City continues to advocate for the human settlements disaster mandate and funding to be devolved, so we can cut out the national middleman and again provide direct relief, as was the case until a few years ago.”

Amid the devastation, humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers was on the ground, providing immediate assistance and support to affected residents.

Fire season stretches resources nationwide

The Dunoon fire comes as fire services across the country remain under immense pressure. As previously reported, major wildfires have affected parts of the Overstrand, including Stanford and Pearly Beach, while fires in sections of the Eastern Cape, including the Sarah Baartman District and Nelson Mandela Bay, have only recently been brought under control.

ALSO READ: Overstrand remains on high alert as wildfires persist

With strong winds, dry conditions and high temperatures forecast to persist, authorities nationwide continue to urge residents to remain vigilant, avoid open flames and heed all safety warnings as the peak fire season continues.