By Alicia Mmashakana
The national Department of Human Settlements has dispatched a team to verify and assess the damage caused by a fire in Booysens, City of Johannesburg.
The blaze at the Selby informal settlement razed numerous structures and left an estimated 200 families homeless on Monday.
Efforts are currently underway to ascertain the precise number of affected households to facilitate appropriate interventions.
Tshepiso Machike, spokesperson for the Minister of Human Settlements, said the department was committed to delivering emergency aid despite encountering incomplete data challenges.
“One of these challenges is the affected households’ unwillingness to participate in the verification process; approximately 200 households have submitted their names for verification so far, and the information in some cases is incomplete,” Machike said on Thursday.
“What complicates the situation even worse is that the land on which the informal structures were built belongs to Prasa and it is illegally occupied. Accordingly, the department cannot erect temporary structures on an invaded land.”
“However, working with other spheres of government and relevant Government Departments, we remain committed to responding to emergency housing needs of those in distress. This will be done within the confines of the law.”
The department advised the victims who lost documents due to the fire to approach the nearest Home Affairs Department offices for a replacement document or provide sworn affidavits to help fast-track assistance.
Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said: “We are encouraging our residents, especially informal settlement residents to continue looking after all heating devices such as paraffin stoves, candles and other devices which might cause fire incidents at home.”
Mulaudzi said that the cause of the fire is yet to be established.
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