A STRONG fire has destroyed more than 20 shacks and left residents helpless without shelter, clothes and food.
The residents from B1 in Mamelodi West, Tshwane, are pleading for any help to start all over again after their shacks and belongings were destroyed by fire on Wednesday, 4 October.
The residents said they didn't know the cause of the fire, but it started at the shacks at the back.
Sipho Mathebula (24) said that they lost everything.
"The fire destroyed everything we had, and we are left with nothing," he said.
He said he's appealing for any kind of help, a shack, clothes and food.
Collen Thamaga (31) said that it's bad and that the residents have nothing left to survive on.
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"This is a serious tragedy. People desperately need help," he said.
Elizabeth Skhosana (45) said they're left with nothing, adding that the fire was too strong for them.
The mum of five said her two-roomed house burnt down and she couldn't save anything.
"Everything was burnt down, and all our documents were destroyed as well," she said.
Community leader Shadreck Seema (44) said the incident left them without anything.
"We need help because people are left with nothing," he said.
EFF convener of elections in Tshwane, Ray Matlwa, said the situation is very sad.
"We need to sit down with the municipality and sort these things out. People need land for proper housing," he said.
City of Tshwane Emergency Services spokesman deputy chief Charles Mabaso said they received a call of multiple shacks on fire in Mamelodi on 4 October.
"The emergency services arrived on the scene to find multiple shacks on fire and immediately started the fire fighting. It was estimated that almost 20 shacks burnt down. The fire was subsequently distinguished, and disaster management activated to conduct a further assessment to ascertain the number of affected people," he said.
Mabaso said two patients were treated for smoke inhalation on the scene, and the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
