CCN News
Cape Town:- At least two people have died and hundreds more have been left homeless, following a series of devastating fire incidents across the Western Cape over the past 24 hours.
According to humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers, one person lost their life in Klapmuts in the Cape Winelands region after a fire broke out in the early hours of the morning. The blaze destroyed several informal structures, leaving families without shelter or belongings.
In Nomzamo, near Strand, more than 100 structures were reduced to ashes, claiming one life and leaving three people injured. Emergency services and volunteers worked through the night to contain the flames as strong winds and densely packed homes made firefighting efforts extremely challenging.
Meanwhile, in Gugulethu, another fire displaced approximately 80 residents, who are now in need of urgent assistance.
Gift of the Givers confirmed that a full humanitarian response has been activated, with teams providing hot meals, bottled water, blankets, hygiene packs, baby care items, and building materials to affected families. Additional resources have been deployed to Nomzamo following a request from community leaders, as the scale of destruction continues to unfold.
“These back-to-back incidents have left many families devastated, especially with the festive season approaching. Our teams are on the ground assessing needs and delivering support where it is most urgently required,” the organisation said.
Authorities are still investigating the causes of the fires. For now, relief efforts remain focused on providing shelter and essential supplies to the hundreds of residents who lost everything within minutes.
Picture: Gift of the Givers
