· More than 150 residents of Donkey Square in Khayelitsha lost everything after a fire started by a man fighting with his wife.
· Residents say they are furious and want the man arrested, blaming him for destroying homes, food and Christmas clothes.
Over 150 people are homeless after a jealous husband set fire to his shack, which quickly spread through the Donkey Square informal settlement in Khayelitsha.
The fire broke out at around 6pm and was only contained by 10pm. By then, it had destroyed nearly everything in its path.
Thandokazi Ntlonze, a community leader, said residents are furious because they lost their homes and belongings in a fire they had nothing to do with.
“The wife told us they were drinking when her husband got jealous because other men were speaking to her,” said Ntlonze.
He then assaulted her. She left to open a case at the police station.
“While she was on her way to the station, he said he was going to burn their shack. She didn’t believe him until she got a call saying he had burnt down the entire area,” said Ntlonze.
Strong winds made it impossible for residents to stop the fire, and many were left with nothing.
“Some people don’t want him back here. If it was an accident, we’d understand, but he did this on purpose,” Ntlonze said.
Mandisa Zakuza, 45, lost food and Christmas clothes for her children.
“I started saving in March. I took everything out on Friday, and now it’s all gone. I couldn’t save anything, the fire was too strong,” she said.
Another resident, who didn’t want to be named, lost boxes of alcohol meant for his son’s homecoming.
“I’m furious. We worked hard all year, and now our kids have no Christmas clothes because of one man’s jealousy. He should be arrested. He knew the fire would affect all of us.”
Pictured above: Donkey Square informal settlement residents in Khayelitsha township, Cape Town, left homeless after a jealous man burnt their shacks.
Image source: Buziwe Nocuze
