AT LEAST 15 people were left homeless when a blaze ripped through Pholile in the Strand in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The blaze burnt down seven shacks, leaving many residents with only the clothes on their backs.
The residents told Daily Sun they were woken by raging flames and quickly filled buckets of water to try and put out the blaze. It is believed the fire started in a shack where there had been a fight all night long.
Thandi Souls (33) believes her jealous boyfriend started the fire.
“He beat me. I took my children and ran away in the morning,” said Thandi.
She said then she got a call from neighbours to say her shack was on fire.
“I knew then that it was him. I couldn’t save anything,” said Thandi.
The angry residents said the man would not be allowed back to the area.
Lolu Ndlela said children almost got burnt. “We were sleeping when the fire started. That man must not come back here,” she said.
Cape Town mayor Patricia De Lille visited the area.
She said: “I am glad that the city moved quickly to provide the residents with starter packs.
“It is unfortunate that the fire happened while we are installing electricity in the area.”
A case was not opened with the police.
The city’s fire and rescue Services spokesman, Theo Layne, confirmed that six shacks were destroyed and 15 people were left homeless.
- Another fire in Zwelitsha Drive, Langa left one person dead on Sunday.
Phindile Silwana (45) said there was no electricity in his cousin’s shack and he used a candle.
Neighbour Zukisa Ntshinga (31) said when she first heard the noise she thought Monwabisi Sibonda (24) was fighting with his girlfriend.
Layne said the fire started at about 4.45am.
