Woman in Wheelchair Narrowly Escapes Death in Dunoon Shack Fire

On Friday, Hlanathi Yolwa began rebuilding his mother’s shack using charred zinc sheets. He had carried her to safety moments before flames engulfed their home.

Nolwandile Yolwa, who relies on a wheelchair, narrowly escaped with her life from a fire that swept through Siyahlala informal settlement in Dunoon, Cape Town, on Friday.

The fire, in the early hours, left at least 47 people homeless.

Yolwa’s son, Hlanathi, 23, woke to frantic cries. He rushed to rescue his mother, carrying her to safety moments before the flames engulfed her shack.

Then he returned to the blazing shack, braving the heat and smoke, determined to salvage what little he could. He managed to retrieve his mother’s medication and a few items of clothing. But he was unable to save their identity documents. The wheelchair was also destroyed. He and his mother are left with little more than the clothes on their backs.

“I don’t know how I’ll rebuild my shack,” said Yolwa, who relies on a disability grant.

The fire started in a neighbouring shack separated only by a narrow passage. Flames spread rapidly through the tightly-packed shacks in the settlement.

City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell said 25 shacks and one upgraded RDP house were completely gutted.

She said people are rebuilding and staying with friends and family temporarily.

The City has requested humanitarian relief.

Mayco member for human settlements Carl Pophaim said a verified list of affected families would be submitted to national government for further assistance.

City fire and rescue service spokesperson Quinton Leon said the distress call came in at 2:11am and the fire was extinguished by 5:18am.

“The cause of the fire is still under investigation,” said Leon.

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