Emergency management officials and community stakeholders are coordinating relief efforts for residents of the Plastic View Informal Settlement following two destructive fires within six days that have claimed two lives and displaced hundreds.
A 13-year-old child died in a blaze that swept through the settlement late yesterday evening. Tshwane Emergency Management Services (EMS) confirmed the fatality this morning and reported that more than 100 informal dwellings were destroyed. The fire displaced approximately 340 people across 86 households.
The latest incident follows a similar fire over the weekend that also claimed one life and left numerous residents homeless. Investigations into both incidents are ongoing.
An EMS spokesperson stated that disaster management teams are on scene conducting assessments and verifications of displaced residents. “We have just had a meeting with the city’s departments—Human Settlements and Social Development—and we are coordinating efforts to ensure that the displaced do get the assistance that they require,” the spokesperson said. Relief items under consideration include mattresses and meals, with NGOs being engaged to support immediate needs.
On the ground, residents are already attempting to rebuild. “People are trying to build their places to sleep in as of tonight,” one community observer noted. Many expressed fear of losing their residential spaces if they do not act quickly. Community leaders are compiling lists of affected households to better target assistance with food, blankets, and clothing.
Aubrey, a representative from the Mahlasedi Foundation, an NGO assisting at the scene, described the situation as “devastating,” particularly as this is the second fire in less than a week. “We’ve been dealing with the consequences since Sunday—handing out blankets, mattresses, clothes, and food parcels. But even today we realized we can’t even be bringing food parcels because there’s nowhere to cook,” Aubrey said.
Aubrey added that local NPOs are mobilizing independently, as they have not yet been contacted by government relief structures. “At the moment it’s local NPOs that are just coming together to see what we can contribute.” The foundation is also concerned about children unable to attend school due to trauma and the loss of uniforms.
Regarding the cause of the fires, the EMS spokesperson provided preliminary findings. “When we arrived here yesterday, we got information from the community that the fire had started because of a gas cylinder that was leaking.” Subsequent investigation confirmed a gas cylinder ignited the most recent blaze. The earlier weekend fire is believed by residents to have been started by an unattended candle, though official confirmation is pending.
The spokesperson emphasized ongoing public education efforts: “We are teaching them how to use any of the heating devices in a safer way. A gas cylinder cannot be left unattended… We are teaching parents to be vigilant not to leave their kids unattended.” The use of highly combustible building materials in the settlement was noted as a factor accelerating fire spread.
The family of the deceased 13-year-old, identified in community accounts as a primary school student, is coping with profound loss. The father and a younger sibling are hospitalized with burn injuries; the mother, the sole uninjured family member, is with them. An uncle of the family confirmed the severity of the injuries and the family’s grief.
As night falls, many displaced residents face uncertainty. Some are staying with neighbors in cramped conditions, while others have no shelter. Community members and NGOs continue to work together, documenting needs and distributing available aid while awaiting broader coordinated support.
