Disaster response teams put out fires in the King Cetshwayo District. Picture /KZN Cogta
The death toll in the KwaZulu-Natal wildfires has increased to seven with the youngest victims aged two and nine.
The veld fires have ravaged parts of the King Cetshwayo, Ilembe, uThukela, and Zululand Districts.
In a statement issued by the KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Department, the latest victim, 29, died on Saturday morning in Masinenge Informal Settlement, Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality.
“Six of the victims perished in their homes when they were overcome by the raging wildfires, the seventh passed away because of a structural fire at the Masinenge informal settlement,” the department said.
The department said the veld fires impacted 144 people in the district, leaving 53 people homeless.
At least 48 houses were partially damaged, and 27 were completely destroyed.
In addition, the wildfires have also damaged crops and livestock, with farmers losing 1,600 animals and 14,000 hectares of grazing land.
Meanwhile, COGTA MEC, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, said he has assigned disaster management teams to provide support to the affected families.
“We are saddened by the further loss of life that our province has experienced due to the raging fires. We express our condolences, and as the provincial government under the leadership of Premier Thami Ntuli, all departments are playing an active role in providing relief to the communities affected by these fires,” he said.
Buthelezi said on Sunday, he will visit disaster-hit communities to provide interim relief to the farmers affected by the fire.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
IOL News