A Cape Flats councillor is exposing residents who sold their fire detection devices and extinguishers for R50 just days before a fire destroyed their homes.
Leonsdale councillor, Franchesca Walker, says after investigating why residents living in the Gaba Village Informal Settlement did not use the life-saving equipment donated by the City of Cape Town just days before the fire on 3 December, she made a shocking discovery.
The blaze destroyed 22 dwellings, leaving 78 people homeless and taking up temporary shelter community hall.
Last week, mom Linsay Campbell, 32, told the Daily Voice how she rushed to get her 10-month-old baby, Lee-Jane, and three-year-old daughter, Royalty Swartz, out of the burning Wendy house, while mom Candice Johannes, 20, said she ran through the settlement clutching her one-month-old baby boy, Quewin, in her arms as gas bottles exploded near them.
Hero mom's save their children from a devastating fire. File photo
An angry Walker says the question about what happened to the fire detection devices arose, but wasn’t addressed at the time.
“It came up on the Tuesday night but I needed to focus on helping them first because there were young children out in the cold,” she explains.
She says Gaba Village residents received the firefighting donations as they are considered a high risk area during fire season.
“Officials from the Goodwood Fire Station came out and did a demonstration with residents, showing them how the fire detection devices work.
HANDOVER: Fire and Rescue team did a demonstration
“They were told that it would pick up smoke in the air and send off an alarm so they have more time to get out.
“They were also given fire extinguishers to stop flames from spreading.”
Walker says in interviews with residents, she discovered that they had sold the devices and extinguishers, worth R900, for just R50.
DONATED: Fire detection devices and extinguishers were given to residents in Gaba Village settlement. Picture supplied
“Only two household in the whole Gaba Village did not sell their equipment and used it to protect their homes,” she says angrily.
“I am very disappointed because this was irresponsible. What would they have said if one of those babies died in that fire?”