MORE than 300 residents were left homeless after a fire destroyed their shacks.
The incident happened Pretoria North, Tshwane at about 3.50am on Thursday, 23 November.
Residents suspect that the blaze was caused by gas and paraffin stoves. Some residents said they even lost their Christmas clothes and food.
Madimetja Lebeya (59) said that her one-bedroom was completely destroyed by the fire.
She lost all her furniture, clothes, food and even documents.
"I have no place to sleep and live. I need help because I don't work," she said.
Madimetja said they tried to kill the fire, but it was too strong.
Residents said they have lived in the area for more than 20 years and have never experienced such a tragedy.
Another resident, Rene Kostello (43), said she lost everything.
"I have nothing left. We need help," she said.
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She said she lives with four children and a two-month-old grandchild and urgently needs help.
"We suspect it's an evil spirit," she said.
Community leader Oupa Matsemela (48) said: "We are appealing to the government to help us rebuild our homes. We are also asking that our people be relocated to permanent places."
City of Tshwane Emergency Services spokesman deputy chief Charles Mabaso said they responded to a fire at an informal settlement after receiving several calls reporting that a fire had broken out at Koos de la Rey informal settlement in Pretoria North on 23 November 2023 at about 3:50am.
"When the emergency services arrived on the scene, they found that several illegally constructed shacks inside and outside a former factory building were on fire. The first arriving unit called for reinforcements and a water tanker, ladder truck and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the incident to contain and extinguish the fire," he said.
Mabaso said two patients were treated for smoke inhalation, taken to Steve Biko Academic Hospital and Tshwane District Hospital and discharged the same day.
He said Gauteng Emergency Medical Services provided a bus and a minibus to transport the displaced residents to temporary accommodation at the Pretoria North Community Hall. Two-hundred and twenty blankets and 71 mattresses were distributed to the affected residents.
