The Department of Human Settlements in KwaZulu-Natal is in the process of getting a number of students from the slums that have built up on Quarry Road, Durban, school uniforms so that they can return to school as soon as possible.
This comes after a fire destroyed approximately 130 shacks on Thursday, leaving many families homeless. The victims are said to have been kept in two large tents erected at the scene of the incident.
The spokesperson of the department, Mr. Ndabezinhle Sibiya, said that the fire left 477 people homeless, including 299 children and 178 adults.
“Right now we are busy getting school uniforms for the students as they have to go back to school soon. The Minister of Education Mr. Sipho Hlomuka has been sent a report,” said Sibiya.
He said that another help that the team provides to the victims in this area is to register those who have lost their identity cards as well as their children’s birth certificates.
He said that according to their findings, the fire that destroyed the buildings in this area started in the shack of an immigrant, who is said to have just begged for money after the incident.
He said the delivery of aid needed by the refugees includes the Municipality of Thekwini as they are working with the office of the Mayor Mr. Cyril Xaba as well as Ms. Thembi Simelane who is the MEC for Human Settlements at the national level.
He said that the relief teams in this area will continue to be there to ensure that the affected get the help they need.
He also revealed that the Minister of Health in the province Ms. Nomagugu Simelane as well as the Minister of Community Development Ms. Mbali Shinga have also sent their teams to provide assistance specific to their departments that the victims need.
He thanked other organizations, which he said contributed to providing assistance in this situation. Among them, he said, are the Gift of the Givers Foundation that helped with mattresses and blankets, the Al Imdaad Foundation that donated food parcels, the Red Cross that helped with warm food, the Ikabao Performing Arts Academy and community members who donated cooked food.