The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management Department and Fire & Rescue Service have initiated a public education and awareness campaign after an increase in informal settlement fires the last few months.
From 1 November 2021 to 3 January this year, the City’s firefighters responded to 531 fires in informal settlements, compared to 485 for the corresponding period in 2020/2021.
‘Every fire is devastating no matter the extent of the damage to property, more so when lives and livelihoods are lost. Some communities are at higher risk and more vulnerable than others.
‘The campaign is not only to educate communities in high risk areas on the causes of fires, but is also aimed at improving residents’ awareness and preparedness for fires,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
The Disaster Risk Management Centre, in conjunction with the Fire & Rescue Service, kicked off the campaign in October last year and have so far reached approximately 15 000 households in informal settlements in Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, Nyanga, Overcome Heights, Driftsands, Wallacedene, Bloekombos, Kuils River and Gugulethu .
Various factors contribute to the ignition and spread of informal residential fires:
- use of potentially unsafe energy sources (such as paraffin stoves, wood fires, and candles) for cooking, heating, or lighting
- use of fire prone building material, such as untreated wood, for informal dwellings
- overloaded, illegal, or poorly maintained electrical connections
- high density within informal settlements that allows fire to spread quickly between dwellings and may limit access for firefighters
- hot, dry and windy conditions during summer months that lead to the increased spread of fire
Other collaborators on the campaign include DRMC volunteers, the City’s Human Settlements Directorate and Public Participation Department and the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre.
‘We have planned interventions for the next few weeks that will reach the 20 top high risk informal settlements. The education and awareness will be done door-to-door, but our staff will also visit day hospitals, clinics, libraries, and do poster drop offs at schools, public transport interchanges and other community hubs .
‘We’re doing everything we can to protect vulnerable communities from the devastation caused by fires. I encourage residents to take heed of the safety messages and implement them. It may never be needed, but it is best to be prepared,’ added Alderman Smith.
‘The Human Settlements Department thanks the City’s firefighters for their hard work in responding to the hundreds of fires in our informal settlements this fire season. We remind our residents to be vigilant, to be aware of the risks of fire and to take the necessary precautions this fire season.
‘The City continues to deliver housing opportunities to thousands of residents per year. Since 2012, the City has delivered more than 60 000 direct opportunities to the benefit of hundreds of thousands of residents. The City also continues to offer affordable accommodation to tenants in its rental stock, and is driving the greater development of social housing in urban areas across the metro. This includes over 6 500 social housing units in the overall pipeline, including 2 000 in Central Cape Town and 2 500 nearing completion or in construction along the Voortrekker corridor and near important economic nodes.
‘All residents in need of subsidised housing opportunities are encouraged to apply to register to the City’s Housing Needs Register so they may be considered for opportunities when they do become available. This is vital because an objective tool is required to allocate space amid the immense need for housing. Without registering on the City’s Housing Needs Register, it is not possible to be considered for an opportunity,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi.
We encourage residents who are waiting for their opportunity to please ensure that their contact details are updated on the Housing Needs Register should the City need to make contact regarding their application. Residents should visit this link to check their status on the Housing Needs Register – https://web1.capetown.gov.za/web1/HWL2012Online/