Several Western Cape Shack Fires Leave Hundreds Homeless
- Hundreds of residents in informal settlements in the Western Cape were left homeless as shack fires gutted homes
- Almost 50 structures were destroyed near Muizenberg, and this resulted in around 150 people being homeless
- South Africans discussed the cause of fires, and some were concerned that more fires would be expected in summer
For seven years, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of Current Affairs, South Africa, covered a range of topics, including accidents, fires, outbreaks, nature, weather, and natural disaster-related incidents, at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.
Source: Getty Images
WESTERN CAPE — Nearly 150 people were left homeless when 50 shacks were destroyed by several fires that swept through Cape Town in the Western Cape. Hundreds more were left homeless when fires destroyed homes in Khayelitsha.
According to SABC News, the nearly 50 shacks were destroyed in Overcome Heights near Muizenberg, while 80 shacks were destroyed in another fire in Khayelitsha. Hundreds of people were left homeless. Gift of the Givers has deployed teams to provide humanitarian aid to the affected areas.
3 Briefly News stories about fires
A total of 35 people were left homeless after a fire destroyed four houses on 25 May. The cause of the fire remains unknown. One of the residents whose home was burned said that she was on her way home from work when she saw her neighbour's house on fire. She didn't realise that her hose was also on fire.
Three children were killed when a shack caught fire in an informal settlement in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, on 14 September 2025. Their mother was arrested for child neglect. One of the children's teachers said that the family lived in terrible conditions.
Ekurhuleni firefighters battled to save a Primrose, Ekurhuleni family when a fire gutted their home on 18 September 2025. A parked vehicle burst into flames, and the house caught fire. The garage was destroyed, and the cause of the fire remains unknown. Nobody was injured during the blaze.
Source: Getty Images
What did South Africans say?
South Africans on Facebook shared their concerns about what causes shack fires.
Zipo Sithole said:
"Their shacks are too close to each other. When one burns down, it goes down with 100 more."
Elaine Ridgway said:
"It's not the shacks. It's the wind. The south-easter was bad and there was a fire on the mountain too."
Akha AfrodeXdj Ngcwama said:
"How much would it cost the government to give shack-dwelling households that fire detector device? Those things cost less than R500 each. How much are poor lives worth?"
Da Vinc Vinci said:
"Cape Town is like South Africa during apartheid. Some properties cost R55 million, and then there are shacks, more shacks than I have ever seen in one place in my entire life."
Bloemfontein woman and 2 children die in fire
In a related article, Briefly News reported that a woman from Bloemfontein in the Free State and her two children were killed in a shack fire on 21 March 2025. A candle caused the flame.
Her eldest son had gone to the shops and locked the shack when the fire broke out. He returned to find the shack had been burned down.
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Source: Briefly News
