Firefighters have extinguished a shack fire at the Kathrada informal settlement in Claremont, west of Johannesburg.
Emergency Services says about fifty shacks were affected by the blaze. No fatalities or injuries have been reported.
It’s still not clear what caused it. Residents are now searching through the burnt rubble for any belongings they can salvage.
A woman who’s shack was completely gutted in the fire says, “My children don’t have shoes. I have nothing in my house. I don’t know how my children will go to school because they have nothing. I’m very angry. I’m not even gonna vote. Where’s the councillor. Where is she? Where is she?”
Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi has urged residents not to leave electrical appliances unattended.
“We want to encourage our residents throughout the city’s 189 informal settlements to look out for all their heating devices and not leave paraffin and stoves unattended to prevent fire incidences like this one,” says Mulaudzi.
@CityofJoburgEMS Multiple shacks on fire reported at KathradaPark Informal Settlement in Claremont no injuries reported at this stage @CityofJoburgZA @CoJPublicSafety #JoburgFireSafety
— Cojems Spokesperson (@RobertMulaudzi) August 6, 2018
