Community members have disputed rumours that gang violence was the cause of a moerse fire that left 240 people homeless and 60 shacks gutted in Overcome Heights.
Fire authorities said the cause of the fire is still unknown while residents believe the burning of wires to get the copper inside may have been the reason.
Tuesday, City of Cape Town workers had the mammoth task of cleaning up debris using large trucks and cranes following the blaze, which began on Monday night.
The Daily Voice received several messages that the fire was caused by warring skollies in the area.
Resident, Maria Goeieman, 45, who lives with her husband and minor grandchildren in the informal settlement, says they had to flee with only the clothing on their backs.
RAN FOR LIVES: Edwina Claasen with two of her laaities. Photo: TRACEY ADAMS. AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY/ANA
“My five-year-old grandson and I had just eaten our supper and it was around 8pm,” Maria explains.
“I noticed smoke in the bedroom. When my husband and I ran outside, we saw that there was fire.
“My husband grabbed the grandsons the other one is nine and told me to run.
“There were shootings before in Hillview, but this didn’t start the fire.
“We think it may have been started by people burning copper between the shacks and they have been warned by the committee to do it on an open field.”
Mother of six, Edwina Claasen, whose youngest child, Tashwill, is only five months old, managed to save birth certificates and little else.
Unfortunately, the birth certificate of her six-year-old daughter, Simone, was destroyed and the mom says they will have difficulty enrolling her for Grade 1 next year.
“We just had to run for our lives,” she says.
APPEAL: Ward Cllr. Gerry Gordon. Photo: TRACEY ADAMS. AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY/ANA
Ward councillor, Gerry Gordon, appealed to residents to stop building their shacks so close to one another as it makes it impossible for fire engines to get in.
She also dismissed claims that the fire was caused due to gang violence: “The cause is not known at this stage and we are once again appealing to people not to build their homes so close to one another. This is the result of that, a huge loss for the people.”
Charlotte Powell, spokesperson for the City’s Fire and Rescue Service, confirms 240 people have been displaced.
She says the debris will be removed and residents supplied with building materials while Sassa will provide humanitarian relief.