'Homeless' man told to leave kasi

GATVOL residents want a fire starter gone from ekasi.

Residents of Nyanga, Cape Town, were woken up by a blaze on Friday, 13 September, after a fire started at the shack of a man who was allegedly burning scrap metal believed to have been stolen.

Although the man is homeless, residents want him out of their kasi.

Resident, Thabisa Nomtshongwana said the man was burning cables in an imbawula in his shack.

"It is not clear how the fire started, but the moment he realised it was out of control he fled his home. He should have alerted other residents so that they could at least save some of their belongings, but he decided to run away," said Thabisa.

"We are fortunate that no one died, but we are saying this man must never set foot in this kasi again."

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Community leader, Mlungiseleli Mboyana, who lost his belongings, said the man who caused the fire was his neighbour. He said the neighbour always burned cables but he doesn't understand what caused the fire.

"We are left with nothing. We cannot live with reckless people. He could have informed us there was a fire, but he decided to run away. The rules are simple, he will not be allowed to rebuild his shack here," said Mlungiseleli.

Edward Bosch, spokesman for the Fire Service said the city's Fire and Rescue Service received a call on Friday of a fire at 44 B, Longo Road, Nyanga.

"Three fire engines, one water tanker and one rescue vehicle attended to the scene. The fire destroyed 15 dwellings, leaving 40 people displaced with no injuries reported. The fire was extinguished at 8.37am and the cause is unknown," Bosch said.