Fire in Belgravia leaves more than 20 destitute

More than 20 people were left destitute when their shacks, on the corner of Barham and Hood roads, Belgravia, were destroyed by a fire around 4.30am on Tuesday May 27.

Truitjie “Phumla” Bostander, said she was awoken by the distressed screams of her son while the fire was raging. Her home was among the 10 shacks destroyed.

“My granddaughter, Angel Bostander, 7, and I were forced to run through the blaze. I told her to follow the path so that we could get to safety. I turned around to go back into my place to grab one of my bags which had my identity document (ID) in. That is the only document I could save. Angel’s birth certificate, her clinic card, and all our belongings were destroyed. She also lost all her school books, stationery and uniform. Both of us received a pair of bed slippers from kind neighbours, as we only have the clothes on our back, and we ran out without any shoes. I am grateful that none of us here were physically harmed, but it is difficult to rebuild,” Ms Bostander said.

Paulina Jooste, 54, is a stroke survivor and has difficulty walking. She lost all her chronic medication in the fire.

“I must now find a way to go back to Dr Abdurahman Day Hospital, so that I can get more of my tablets. I don’t have anywhere else to go. I have no family. I have been living alone in my structure, as my husband died many years ago. The only family I have are the people who live here on this plot. We care for one another and look out for each other,” Ms Jooste said.

Cherylene Joseph, 55, lives with her three daughters and three grandchildren.

“My big concern is that my grandchildren have to sleep outside in this cold. They are still small. I have arthritis and when it is this cold, the pain is unbearable. It’s not nice to be homeless. The only thing I could save was our important documents. All we can do now is clean up and to put our hope in God,” she said.

 Ms Joseph’s niece, Anneline Pietersen, rushed there when she heard about the fire.

“My heart is so sore, especially for our elders. My cousin has two small children, where must they sleep now? Now my aunties (Ms Joseph and Ms Jooste) must sit on the street. They are freezing, and they are both chronic patients,” Ms Pietersen said.

Nobody could say how the fire started. Ms Bostander said she knows there are some people in the area who would like them to move from there, but they have nowhere else to go. 

“I know some people want to have this plot, but we are not going to move from here. The only thing we can do now is to see what building material we can still salvage so that we can start rebuilding and to make our place neat and decent.

The City's Fire and Rescue spokesperson, Jermaine Carelse, said firefighters extinguished the blaze by 6.15am. He confirmed that 10 shacks were destroyed and more than 20 people were left displaced.