Vagrants blamed for Table View fire

• Author: Xola Qetsemani xola.qetsemani@inl.co.za
• Published date: 05 May 2021
• Publication title: Tabletalk

According to residents, the fire started under the bridge on Blaauwberg Road, at about 10pm on Sunday, and swept through grass and reeds along the river bank.

Ward 113 councillor Joy Solomon said the blaze had burnt an area about the size of two rugby fields and had been started by a vagrant’s fire.

However, Jermaine Carelse, spokesman for the City Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the fire was unknown at this time.

The fire had been reported at 10pm on Sunday and extinguished by 3.21pm on Monday, he said.

Dr Solomon said homes had not been under threat due to the lack of wind.

“But smoke and ash was widespread. I have requested creation of a firebreak along the bank of the Diep River from Villa du Cap down to River Hamlet. Maybe further depending on how close the reeds are,” Dr Solomon said.

Residents say last month’s blaze on Table Mountain was on their minds as they watched the fire spread, and by 10pm the smell of the fire made it hard to sleep.

Terry Becker, of Table View, said she had seen the orange glow of the flames when she had looked out of her window on Sunday night.

“The smell of burning grass and hints of plastic is all that was in the air. I started praying for all those who live near the Diep River and all those vagrants near the taxi rank. I was getting scared, so I can imagine those who were close to the fire. Hopefully we don’t have things like this happen often,” she said.

Some 20-odd people live in Tent City, the settlement between the Diep River and the taxi rank at Killarney. Anzio Jones, 34, told Tabletalk he had recently moved to Tent City from Atlantis.

“I’ve been here a few months, and the other people here are welcoming. I lost my job last year, and I’ve been struggling ever since.

But here, I know I don’t have to be a burden on anyone in my family. I get odd jobs here and there from kind people. Yes, we make fires, but that’s to cook and keep warm. I don’t know about what happened by the bridge,” he said.

Table View residents say they have battled for years to get the municipality to move the vagrants. Anne Lombard, of Table View, said the fire would not have happened had the City moved them.

“For over five years, we’ve been asking the City to move the vagrants because the area is an eyesore and there are some unsavoury characters there. Some people aren’t homeless but just squat so they can get up to mischief. I wouldn’t be surprised if this fire was intentionally set alight,” she said.

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