THE MINISTER of the Department of Co-operative Governance and Indigenous Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, Pastor Thulasizwe Buthelezi has revealed that they are speeding up the distribution of fire alarms in various areas with dense shacks.
Buthelezi said this following the death of one person on Saturday, when more than 50 shacks burned down in Redhill, Durban.
According to him, 87 people were left homeless following the fire incident, the cause of which is not yet clear.
“The Department has sent disaster teams to provide various assistance at the scene of the incident and is also speeding up the deployment of smoke alarms to different areas in the province,” said Buthelezi.
He said that these machines can help people to get out quickly and escape, before the fire spreads, he said to ensure that the fighters are taken advantage of. The Municipality of Thekwini set up a temporary tent, provided food, blankets and mattresses to the 87 affected migrants.
He warned the people living in the slums that the extreme drop in temperature increases the number of fire incidents in the slums as they are more sensitive to the cold.
“Populated areas are the ones that are at the greatest risk, as people have used candles, paraffin stoves and burners because of the cold,” said Buthelezi, who then expressed his condolences to the family of those who died in the tragedy, and said that teams are still there to support the victims.
The Department of Human Settlements in the province revealed that it is busy searching for the family of the deceased who has not been found.
The KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, said that the Greenwood Park police opened a post mortem for investigation following the discovery of the body of a person who had burnt down more than 50 shacks near Malacca road in Redhill, on Saturday.
He said that when the police arrived at the scene of the incident, they found the deceased’s body badly burnt. He said that the investigation into the cause of the fire is being carried out by the police, but at the moment there is no suspect.