In wake of informal settlement fires, CoCT appeals to Ramaphosa to devolve emergency housing grant

CAPE TOWN - The City of Cape Town is appealing to President Cyril Ramaphosa and Human Settlements Minister Thembisile Simelane to urgently devolve the emergency housing grant.

City Mayco Member for Human Settlements, Carl Pophaim, said that this would allow the city to assist fire-affected residents in Dunoon, Nomzamo, Masiphumelele and Langa as quickly as possible.

Assessments indicate that 130 structures were destroyed in Masiphumelele, 64 in Nomzamo, 120 in Dunoon and an early assessment shows that about 150 shacks were razed to the ground in Langa on Thursday night.

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Pophaim said he had provided the national Human Settlements Department with the details of those affected.

"We are appealing to the national department to act swiftly so that those affected are assisted. Our teams will remain on the various affected sites across the city to assist the impacted residents, where it is feasible to do so."

The Human Settlements Department said it was busy assessing whether or not emergency housing guidelines were being adhered to in Nomzamo.