Nearly 1 000 people have been left destitute after a devastating fire early this morning destroyed about a 150 shacks. The fire allegedly started in one of the shacks in the Imizamo Yethu informal settlement near Hout Bay.

Some are working feverishly to rebuild their shacks. No one was seriously injured.

The shaken families say they watched helplessly while their homes were devoured by the flames. Looking tired and despondent they went through the debris at first light this morning, in the hope of salvaging whatever valuables they could find. Others started preparing the charred remains of the burnt out corrugated iron to rebuild their homes.

Residents say apart from loosing all they had it would be a double struggle finding employment again for those that burnt important documents such as identity documents.