Cape Town Blaze Leaves Families Homeless After Neighbour ‘Blacks Out On Mandrax’

A family in Clarke Estate, Cape Town, say they “lost everything” after a fast-moving fire ripped through their community, destroying 12 structures and leaving 39 people homeless.

Ouma Jamie-Lee Cupido, who lives with her mother, sister and three minor children, said the blaze broke out behind their home shortly after 4pm on Wednesday.

“I was in the house with my three grandchildren as I called for help. No one came to help us, they only went to where the fire started,” she said. “I was struggling with the three grandchildren who were with me inside our house.”

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Pretoria Exam Leak Bombshell: Pupils Got Matric Papers Early, Says Minister

Cupido added that strong winds and flammable materials nearby made it impossible to salvage anything: “We lost literally everything because the wendy houses were close to each other and there were wood and paint buckets lying next to our wendy.”

Cape Town Family Accuses Neighbour of Drug-Related Negligence

Cupido alleges the fire began when a neighbour, allegedly under the influence of drugs, started a fire that ignited oil and paraffin inside his home.

“The guy behind us who started the fire was on drugs. He made a fire and took a pull of mandrax, blacked out and that’s what caused the fire,” she said. “He collected rubbish including paint buckets that had oil, paraffin, everything there.”

She added that this was not the first time his behaviour caused concern: “We told him constantly that he must listen, or we would call the police, but he never listened. He was so blacked out high on the drugs laying on the grass, he didn’t even come say sorry or help us, nothing.”

Cupido and her family are now staying with relatives.

Fire Crews Respond as Relief Organisations Assist Victims

Gift of the Givers has provided support to affected families. Project manager Ali Sablay confirmed that the organisation supplied food hampers, blankets, babycare packages, hygiene items and water.

Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Edward Bosch said crews from Bellville, Durbanville, Milnerton, Kraaifontein and Mitchells Plain fire stations responded.

“Upon arrival, firefighters found multiple informal structures alight,” he said.

The blaze displaced 39 people, all accounted for. One woman sustained burn wounds to her arm and received treatment from Metro ambulance at the scene.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.

---

For More, Follow SurgeZirc SA On  Facebook, X,  Instagram and Bluesky