The eThekwini Municipality says it will accommodate hundreds of residents of the Dakota informal settlement in Isiphingo Beach, near Durban in a local community hall after a fire ravaged their area.
The fire broke out on Saturday night and damaged nearly 500 structures.
Humanitarian organisation, Gift of the Givers says it will now start to distribute basics such as blankets to the victims of the fire.
The municipality’s head of communications Lindiwe Khuzwayo says they are assessing the extent of the damage.
“eThekwini municipality can confirm that there have been no injuries or fatalities in last night’s fire in Dakota informal settlement in Isiphingo. About 400 dwellings were destroyed and hundreds of people have been displaced.”
“The hall was opened last night to receive displaced families and food is being provided. The municipality is finalising assessments to determine the nature and extent of other assistance to be provided to families,” adds Khuzwayo.
Meanwhile, a ward councillor in the area, Lindiwe Mthembu says an illegal electricity connection could be behind the fire.
“According to my understanding there were illegal electricity connections. Because I asked the first guy where the fire started, he said he saw smoke [over] … his head when he looked around, he saw there was a fire and that fire got across all the power lines.”
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