Khayelitsha fire leaves families devastated and homeless
Resident Sizwe Siqholo hard at work, moving the rubble.
Image: Phiri Cawe
Residents claimed that the fire was started by a young girl who was trying to cook with a gas stove.
Image: Phiri Cawe
BM informal settlements resident and fire victim Ayanda Ngcebetshana is left with only the clothes she is wearing after a devastating fire destroys her home on Monday afternoon. She is now trying to rebuild from nothing.
Image: Phiri Cawe
The year had barely begun when Ayanda Ngcebetshana’s life was reduced to ashes in a devastating fire.
On the afternoon of Monday, January 19, a raging fire tore through the BM informal settlement in Khayelitsha, destroying more than 14 homes and leaving over 50 people homeless.
Among them was Ms Ngcebetshana, who now faces the painful task of starting over with absolutely nothing.
“My life has been tough,” she said.
Ms Ngcebetshana, who lives with her young daughter, was returning from work when she noticed thick smoke rising in the distance. She never imagined it was coming from her own home.
“When I arrived, the fire was already out of control." She said she could not even open the door because of the flames.
Residents believe the fire may have started when a seven-year-old girl attempted to cook using a gas stove after returning from school. The City's Fire and Rescue Services, however, has said the cause is still under investigation.
While Ms Ngcebetshana is grateful that her daughter survived, the price of survival has been devastating.
“I am left with only the overall I am wearing,” she said.
“All my documents are gone. My child’s school uniforms are gone. Everything we owned is gone.”
Around her, neighbours stood in shock, staring at the blackened remains of what were once their homes. Many, like Ngcebetshana, were unable to save even a single belonging.
When Vukani visited the settlement, affected families were already trying to piece their lives back together. With bare hands, they cleared rubble and ash, salvaging burnt zinc sheets to rebuild makeshift shelters where their homes once stood.
Community member Sizwe Siqholo, who came to help the victims, said the pain was made worse by uncertainty about support.
“This is a disaster, and people need help,” he said.
“It is the beginning of the year. Parents have already spent money sending their children to school. December drained us. Many people here are unemployed. Where are we supposed to start?”
Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said no injuries were reported.
He said fire crews were called to the scene shortly after 3pm and managed to extinguish the blaze by 6pm. An estimated 14 structures were destroyed, displacing more than 50 people.
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