Cape, to the areas that were affected by the fire disaster in Joe Slovo, KwaLanga

and Khayamnandi in Stellenbosch. The visit was undertaken over two days, on

January 25 - 26, 2005.

1.1 Members of the delegation were as follows:

Ms ZA Kota-Fredericks ANC (Chairperson)

Mr RJ Tau ANC (Chairperson: Select Committee

on Public Services)

Ms BN Dambuza ANC

Mr DC Mabena ANC

Mr GD Schneemann ANC

Ms NJ Ngele ANC

Ms MM Ramakaba-Leseia ANC

Mr AC Steyn DA

Staff:

Ms M Ntuli Committee Secretary

Mr S Makeleni Committee Assistant

The main purpose of the visit was to assess the relief needs in the areas

that were affected by the fire disaster and to find out what the

Stellenbosch Municipality and the Council of the City of Cape Town had

planned to do in this regard. The Portfolio Committee also wanted to

give support to the victims of the fire disaster.

On Tuesday, January 25, 2005, the delegation visited the Stellenbosch

Municipality, where the Executive Mayor, Mr Alderman Ortell,

welcomed them. Municipal Manager, Mr Bruce Kannemeyer, briefed

the delegation on the fire disaster and highlighted two specific areas,

which were severely affected, namely, Zone J and Zone O in

Khayamnandi.

The Mayoral Committee included the following members:

Mr Alderman Ortell Executive Mayor

Mr Bruce Kannemeyer: Municipal Manager

Alderman MW Kalazana: Speaker

Councillor GW Adonis: Deputy Executive Mayor

Concillor JC Anthony: Executive Mayoral Committee Member

Councillor HC Bergstedt: Executive Mayoral Committee Member

Councillor SM Gordon: Executive Mayoral Committee Member

Councillor NA Mgijima: Executive Mayoral Committee Member

Councillor HG Pheiffer: Executive Mayoral Committee Member

Alderman JB Truter: Executive Mayoral Committee Member

Mr Piet Smit: Director – Corporate Services

Mr Jan Wolmerans: Director – Strategic Services

Mr Eddie Delport: Director – Engineering & Technical

Services

& Acting Director – Planning & Economic

Development Services

Mr Keith Ford: Director – Community Services

Mr Kevin Bey-Leveld: Acting Director – Electrical Engineering

Services

Mr Neville Langehoven: Director – Public Safety

Mr Dries van Niekerk: Acting Director – Financial Services

Mr Lester van Stawel: Head – Program Manager: Housing

Mr Emile van der Merwe: Program Manager: Planning and

Economic Development

Mr Frans van Dalen: Program Manager: Technical Services

The delegation accompanied by the Mayoral Committee departed to a site inspection in

Khayamnandi.

2.1 Findings

The delegation saw brick hostels, which were originally part of the Stellenbosch

Winery and had been developed and later converted into family units. The

Stellenbosch Municipal Council had also built some new houses for the families

that were previously in shacks. The Municipal Council was in the process of

repairing a few formal houses, which were severely affected by smoke during the

fire disaster in an area called "Zawazawa", in Mondi Crescent.

Zone "O" was the first area where the fire broke out. The area was undeveloped,

with no roads and fire hydrants, thus allowing the fire to run wild and uncontrollable. The densification of the shacks made it difficult to move freely in

terms of security and rescue measures. Fire fighters could, therefore, not access

the area. The area was declared a disaster area.

In Zone "O", about 650 structures were destroyed by the fire and in Zone "J", 25

structures were burnt down. It was reported that a total of about 1000 structures

had been burnt down since December 2004.

In Zone "J", there were only two (2) fire hydrants. It was reported that the

Municipal Council was in the process of putting infra-structural services in place.

People in this area would be moved to Watergaan area at a later stage.

The Stellenbosch Municipal Council had identified a piece of land in an area

within a walking distance from where the fire had occurred. The area would be

utilized to accommodate the victims of the fire on a temporary basis until suitable

land could be identified. At the time of the visit, the Municipal Council of

Stellenbosch was in the process of liaising with the Government of the Western

Cape in this regard.

3. The delegation also visited a local community hall in which the victims

of the fire were in the process of being registered to receive immediate

relief grants of R500 per family unit from the Department of Social

Welfare. The Department of Home Affairs was also busy registering the

victims of the fire for new Identity Documents in the same venue. The

victims of the fire had also received an emergency kit valued at R800 per

family unit from the Department of Housing in the provincial

government of the Western Cape. The Masibambane Volunteers, who

are funded by the government were also available to assist during the

registration process. The police department from Stellenbosch was also

available in the community hall during the registration process.

It was reported that arrangements to move families to Watergaan

Development had already been put in place. The Khayamnandi

Development Corridor would undertake this project.

4. After the site visit, the delegation returned to the offices of the

Stellenbosch Municipality where they were shown a slide presentation of

the whole area affected by the fire disaster. It was reported that three (3)

helicopters had come to assist when the fire broke out. The Fire

Department was on permanent deployment in the area from the time that

fire disaster had occurred in December 2004. During the presentation,

the delegation had the opportunity to ask questions from the members of

the Mayoral Committee and made comments as follows:

What were the main causes of fire?

Are the women contractors involved in putting up the new housing structures,

especially those who are accredited by the SETA’s?

What are Golfers putting back into the economy of Stellenbosch?

Is there any community education to prevent fires in the near future?

Who is in control of the Emergency Kit, which is administered by the Western Cape

provincial government?

The Watergaan project is a good initiative, but how is it going to resolve problems

faced by the municipality regarding human settlements?

Are the emerging contractors involved in putting up the new housing structures?

The Stellenbosch Municipality should try and look at other projects such as schools,

clinics etc. and not just houses.

4.1 Response by the Municipal Manager

The main cause of fire is still unknown at this stage, but the Municipal Council

learnt that a stove had exploded and caused the fire. Most of the poorest families

use highly flammable materials to make fire.

In terms of land availability, in most instances, Stellenbosch is zoned as an

agricultural area.

The Municipal Council has realized a need to give education on fire prevention and

fire fighting, not just to react to a disaster situation only.

The Watergaan project would also cater for other developmental projects and not

just housing only.

The Municipal Council is in the process of getting women contractors involved.

Overall, the Stellenbosch Municipality has tried to improve the lives of people since

they took over the Council.

4.2 Comments by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee

The issue of commercial land was discussed at the last MINMEC meeting.

Negotiations between the Department of Land affairs and the Department of

Housing are still underway in this regard.

The Stellenbosch Municipality should try and accommodate the women

contractors in their housing projects by 30% as stated in the Housing

Legislation.

5. In conclusion, the Municipal Manager requested the Portfolio Committee

delegation to assist the Municipality in addressing the housing backlog. He said

municipality required an amount of R800 million for this purpose.

DAY 2: 26 JANUARY 2005

During the second day of the provincial visit, the delegation went for a

briefing in the Mayoral Offices, in the City of Cape Town. The

delegation met with the Mayor of Cape Town, Ms N Mfeketho, together

with certain Councillors and Council officials.

In his welcoming address, the City Manager thanked the Portfolio

Committee for coming to see the Joe Slovo informal settlements after the

fire disaster.

Thereafter, the Mayor of Cape Town gave a briefing together with a slide

presentation on the overview of the N2 Gateway Project. She stressed

the fact that the N2 Gateway Project is being implemented in partnership

with all three (3) spheres of government.

The Mayor informed the delegation that there were three (3) strategies in

place to address the recurrent fire disasters in Joe Slovo. The main aim

was to develop the N2 Gateway, not only because of the fires, but to

develop the communities.

The first strategy was for the City of Cape Town to provide immediate shelter and

services in tents for the victims of the fire.

The medium-term strategy included the identification of land in Epping and

KwaLanga to build temporary houses. The proposal was submitted to the Cape

Town Chamber of Commerce and some objections were raised. The City of Cape

Town has sought legal advice to assist in accessing sites.

The long-term strategy was to build houses and to create economic opportunities for

the communities and also to address the problem of backyard dwellings as well as

shacks near the hostels.

6. After the presentation and the briefing, the Chairperson of the Portfolio

Committee thanked the Mayor and stated that the City of Cape Town was moving in

the right direction, especially in terms of the emerging contractors.

6.1 Members of the delegation posed the following questions:

What measures have been put in place to prevent the same thing from happening in

the future?

What measures has the City of Cape Town taken to address the cause of the fire?

What precautions has the City of Cape Town taken regarding corruption in housing?

The transit camps, which include the use of schools, might disrupt the children’s

education. How is the City of Cape Town going to address that?

The committee members asked whether the current projects won’t be affected by the

Joe Slovo challenges.

6.2 Comments by the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee

The delegation noted that most people affected in such fire disasters were mainly

young women. The Portfolio Committee was planning to host a "Fire and Floods

Conference" in Parliament in March 2005, in which the City of Cape Town was

invited to attend.

7. In her vote of thanks, Councillor Beerwinkel thanked the delegation for

listening. She also expressed a desire to have an ongoing and a good working

relationship with the Portfolio Committee. The delegation, together with the Mayor

and her delegation, went out on a site visit to the Joe Slovo settlement.

8. Findings

The delegation went to the site where many homes were burnt down on

January 15, 2005, during the day. The hostel area was surrounded by the

shack dwellings, which were completely burnt down. In one of the shack

dwellings, a four months old baby who was inside the house when the

fire disaster occurred died after inhaling smoke. The government of the

Western Cape took the responsibility of burying the child.

The delegation thereafter went to a temporary venue where there were

fourteen (14) marquees on site in which the fire victims from Joe Slovo

were housed. Each marquee housed 450 families together with some of

their belongings. There were three (3) volunteers in each marquee who

were delegated by the City of Cape Town to act as Liaison Officers

between the fire victims occupying the marquees and the City of Cape

Town. Meetings were held everyday between the officials from the

Mayoral office and the occupants during whom their needs/concerns

were raised.

One of the fire victims requested the delegation to arrange a sewing

machine for her. By sewing and selling some clothes, she would be able

to pay for her children’s school fees.

While on site, the delegation made the following observations on some

of the activities, which were already put in place:

There was another large marquee, which was mainly utilized as a crèche.

Daily collection of refuse by a big truck was in place

A group of people cleaning the yard

Six water stand pipes to supply the water to the occupants

A temporary structure with disposable taps and mobile showers for (males &

females separately).

Three (3) urns provided for the children to get hot water.

Daily supply of food for the fire victims from NGOs. Bambanani Volunteers

were busy assisting in dishing out the food.

Private sector companies had donated some blankets and mattresses, which

were supplied at night.

The Department of Home affairs was using one of the tents to process

identity documents.

The Department of Social Welfare was also outside on site supplying baby

food to the fire victims.

8.1 The delegation also went to the Langa sports complex in which items such as

second-hand clothing, shoes, mattresses and food parcels were sorted out for

distribution to the fire victims. The items mentioned were donated by

organizations such as the Red Cross Society and some NGOs in support of the

fire victims.

All of the above-mentioned activities were co-ordinated by officials from the

mayoral offices under the leadership of Mr Bathembu Lugulwana, who is a

Project Co-ordinator.

9. The delegation also visited another area called Wallacedene in which 14

houses were burnt down. The delegation met with Mr Steven Erasmus,

Senior Housing Manager in the Housing Department from the City of

Cape Town. Mr Erasmus reported that when the fire occurred, which

started in a nearby shop, it was well managed, as there was no wind at

the time. There were no deaths or injuries to the fire victims. The cause

of fire was also unknown. The Disaster Team from the City of Cape

Town supplied the fire victims with some food parcels and clothing. The

houses in the area had already been re-built by the City of Cape Town.

10. Recommendations

1. The Portfolio Committee recommends that it be given a progress report on

zone "J" and zone "O".

2. The Portfolio Committee requests an update on the housing backlog and the

integrated housing strategy in Stellenbosch.

3. The Portfolio Committee is asking for a progress report in terms of their

disaster management strategy.

4. The committee recommends that a land audit be carried out in Stellenbosch

Municipality.

5. The Portfolio Committee needs an update on their disaster management plan.

6. The committee requires an update on the number of temporary houses in

Delft and Langa as well as their plan to place the victims of fire to

permanent accommodation.

7. The Portfolio Committee recommends to be given an update on how the

Epping land dispute was resolved.