Dear Editor
I will be submitting written questions to the Minister of Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers, to ascertain his department’s readiness to respond to household fire disasters in the province.
Every year thousands of people in the Western Cape are displaced due to household fires, with many lives being lost.
The recent fire in Langa, which left more than 700 people displaced, has shown the life-changing effects fires can have.
With winter on the doorstep more people will be using fire to stay warm, which means the risk of household fires is increasing. Last year there were more than 2200 fires in informal settlements in the Western Cape.
We need a whole of society approach to effectively deal with fires. In the event of a fire that gets out of control, it is very important to raise the alarm and make sure everyone in the vicinity gets to safety, and to call emergency services as soon as possible:
• The number for City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services emergencies: 107 (from a landline) and 021 480 7700 (from a cellphone)
• The relevant numbers for Fire and Rescue Services in other Western Cape municipalities can be found here: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/text/2021/July/emergency_numbers_fire_and_rescue_services_-_30_07_2021.pdf
• More resources on fire safety are available on the Western Cape Government website: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/preventing-fires-western-cape
Regards
Matlhodi Maseko, MPP
DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Human Settlements
