City of Cape Town asks for donations for fire victims
The City of Cape Town on Monday asked for donations of clothing, food, furniture and toiletries for victims of the Hout Bay fire and asked that these be delivered to the Thula Thula non-governmental organisation in the suburb.
“We have been inundated with kind donations that have become very challenging for us to manage. We have therefore negotiated with an NGO called Thula Thula Hout Bay situated between Berg n Dal Estate and the BP Garage, across from the Riding Centre on Main Road, Hout Bay to accept and manage donations from the public,” said the city’s mayoral committee member for human settlements, Benedicta van Minnen.
“Donations currently required include clothing, dry or canned food, toiletries and furniture. Food and cool-drink for the people working on-site trying to salvage their possessions from the fire can be delivered on-site.”
Van Minnen said the cause of the fire in the Imizamo Yethu informal settlement that killed one man and left hundreds homeless had not yet been determined, but added: “Too many times fires that affect entire communities are caused by the behaviour of one or a few negligent and irresponsible residents.”
She added that the city could not monitor the behaviour of citizens at all times in a bid to prevent fires, and said it was spending a considerable sum trying to assist victims and reinstate services in affected areas and to improve basic services in all informal settlements.
“It needs to be recognised that, no matter the resources we put behind this or other initiatives we roll out, there is no miraculous silver bullet that will solve this problem unless behaviours change.”
ANA
(File photo)