Kayamandi residents appeal for donations as homes turn to ashes
Approximately 1500 people were left homeless in the aftermath.
Over 300 informal structures were razed to the ground and over 1,000 people left homeless when a blaze ripped through Kayamandi informal settlement in Stellenbosch on the night of 6 April 2024. Picture: Supplied
Lester Kiewit interviews Ayanda Tomose, Ward Councillor for Kayamandi.
Listen below.
More than 300 informal dwellings were engulfed in flames during a devastating fire in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch, on Saturday night.
Officials said the strong winds lashing the Cape made firefighting efforts hard, but the fire was eventually brought under control.
Approximately 1500 individuals were left homeless in the aftermath.
RELATED: Fire in Stellenbosch informal settlement leaves over 1,000 people homeless
While weather conditions have eased, Tomose notes that there has been limited progress in cleanup efforts.
He adds that residents have begun reconstruction, but no homes are fully restored yet, as they anticipate municipal aid with materials soon.
Tomose is urging anyone who is able to make a donation, whether it be warm blankets or food, to drop it off at the Stellenboch Fire Station.
RELATED: Gift of the Givers deployed to help close to 1500 displaced people in Kayamandi
"There's been no serious improvement."
- Ayanda Tomose, Kayamandi Ward Councillor
"People are trying to get their lives organised."
- Ayanda Tomose, Kayamandi Ward Councillor
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.