MADALA Heavystone Tyelinzima Sipopo (80) has had enough fires eating his shack.
Since 2018, the madala from Philippi, Block 6 in Cape Town, has had to rebuild his shack three times.
The latest fire incident that happened on Thursday, 15 February, left him with a big headache about how he would deal with the problem.
The first fire that ate his shack was in 2018, followed by another incident in 2021, and the third time, madala lost his house and belongings.
On Thursday, 15 February, at about 1am, madala Heavystone said he heard people throwing stones on top of his shack and saying there was fire. He then ran out of his shack as the fire was already eating the other side of his four-roomed shack.
"I only managed to go out in pyjamas, and I'm grateful I survived. If people hadn't thrown stones to wake me up, I could have died because the fire was fierce," he said.
The madala said he's tired of rebuilding his shack with only his pension grant.
He said when his shack was destroyed by fire in 2021, he borrowed money from a mashonisa to rebuild it. He said he managed to pay off the mashonisa, but now he needs to start afresh again.
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"I live alone and all these years, I've been rebuilding my shacks. I'm now tired. I need help. Remember, it's not only rebuilding, but I also need to buy furniture, clothes, and blankets. It's now draining me, considering that I'm old and I can't work anymore," madala Heavystone said.
Neighbour Mpumi Faku (39) said madala Heavystone is unfortunate when it comes to shack fires.
She said none of these fires ever started from madala's home, but they came from other areas just to destroy his property.
"The latest fire was caused by amaphara, burning stolen cables at an abandoned shack not far from madala's home. Unfortunately, madala became a victim again," she said.
Residents managed to help him with rebuilding one room out of the four that were destroyed by fire.
City of Cape Town's Fire Services spokesman Jermaine Carelse confirmed the latest fire incident.
"An emergency call was received just after 01:20 of structures alight in Block 6 in Browns Farm, Philippi, on 15 February. Crews from Belhar, Gugulethu, Kuilsriver, Mitchells Plain, Ottery and Wynberg were on the scene. Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze by 02:50. A total of 10 informal structures were destroyed, and 20 people were displaced. One female sustained minor burn wounds to her arms and forehead. The cause of the fire is unknown," said Carelse.
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