A Manenberg family says they have been without a roof for FOUR months because the City of Cape Town has failed to replace their dak after a fire destroyed their house.
The Behr family were left homeless for Christmas after their home in Grootkop Street went up in flames on 9 December.
The family say their home gets flooded when it rains and now fear for the worst with winter around the corner.
Oupa Robert Behr, 54, says the family of 16 were saved by his seven-year-old grandchild who saw the flames and woke them up.
He says as panicked relatives ran for safety, neighbours rushed to the scene with buckets of water to help extinguish the blaze.
The fire, which swept through several rooms, including the kitchen and bathroom, destroyed the entire roof and the electricity supply to their house had been cut.
Ouma Leticicia, 49, says for the past four months, the entire family has been forced to sleep in one room to avoid the rain.
“Because the roof is gone, everyone gets wet. The kitchen and rooms flood and we are getting sick,” she says.
“After the fire, the councillor came and said they will have to go through the insurance to get the house repaired.
HEALTH HAZARD: Damage from the fire
“They took the paperwork and came to take pictures in January, but nothing. We have been renting here for almost 50 years and I grew up in this house. They told us we can buy it, but how can we when it looks like this?”
Robert says his grandchildren became sick from charred asbestos falling from the roof.
“They all got boils because at night when the wind blows, the stof from the asbestos falls on us. The children are breathing this stuff in and getting sick.
“We can’t go on like this. The City always erects containers when there are fires, but we have not been given one.
“The walls are so badly cracked and I am sure they will collapse soon. We are very scared when we go to sleep because the house is basically open and anyone can just come in here.”
City spokesperson, Jean-Marie de Waal, says the City regards this case as a priority and the insurance claim is still underway.
“The work to fix the damaged unit must be done by a contractor and tender processes are unfortunately still being finalised.
“At the time of the fire, there were, unfortunately, no containers available. The City, however, is making every effort to assist the family and will liaise with them in this regard.”