Mr President, put fire affected residents first by devolving emergency funding to the City

27 December 2024

Statement by the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Carl Pophaim

The City’s Human Settlements teams, disaster risk management and all frontline staff remain on the ground to assist residents in informal settlements where fires tore through informal structures over recent days. I am appealing to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the National Minister of Human Settlements, Thembisile Simelane, to devolve the Emergency Housing Grant to the City of Cape Town so that we are able to manage and respond to issues affecting emergency housing requirements as quickly as possible, typically within 24 hours.

I am appealing to President Ramaphosa and Minister Simelane to urgently devolve the Emergency Housing Grant to the City of Cape Town so we can assist the fire-affected residents in Dunoon, Nomzamo in the Strand, Masiphumelele and Langa as quickly as possible.

Assessments indicate the following numbers of destroyed structures

• Masiphumelele: 130
• Nomzamo: 64
• Dunoon: 120
• Langa: 150 (Early assessments)

Early indications show that approximately 150 homes were destroyed in Langa on 26 December 2024, and final assessments are being completed today so that the exact numbers are determined. 

The City’s Human Settlements Directorate has provided the National Human Settlements Department with the data of those affected residents thus far for their urgent assistance and 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. We will continue to closely monitor the situation.

The City thanks the Gift of the Givers and all other relief agencies for assisting in providing soft relief to the affected residents and we will continue to actively work with all relief teams.

Emergencies can be reported to the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre by calling 021 480 7700.

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office