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KZN COGTA PROVIDES BURIAL SUPPORT AND COMPREHENSIVE AID TO KENNEDY ROAD FIRE VICTIMS

Durban, 21 July 2025 – The KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi has announced immediate burial support for the two victims of the devastating fire that swept through the Kennedy Road Informal Settlement this past weekend.

This tragic incident, the fourth of its kind in the settlement, claimed the lives of a 26-year-old woman and an 18-month-old toddler.

The MEC visited the informal settlement today to offer condolences and meet directly with affected families, including those who lost loved ones. “The loss of life, especially that of a toddler, is truly heartbreaking and underscores the severe risks our communities in informal settlements face daily,” stated MEC Buthelezi.

The fire, which erupted around midnight on Friday, July 18th, affected 95 households and displaced approximately 186 residents. During his visit, MEC Buthelezi led the distribution of essential interim relief, including groceries, mattresses, blankets, and hygiene packs to all affected individuals.

The department’s commitment extends beyond immediate relief.

MEC Buthelezi confirmed that KZN COGTA will provide full burial support to the families of the deceased.

Additionally, the MEC was joined by various social partners who are offering crucial supplementary support such as hot meals, psycho-social counselling, food vouchers, and assistance with replacing lost documents.

Looking ahead, MEC Buthelezi also announced the continuation and expansion of the provincial smoke alarm rollout programme. This initiative aims to install smoke alarms in more informal settlements across the province, a vital step in proactive disaster prevention.

“While smoke alarms do not extinguish fires, they are proving to be an incredibly effective life-saving intervention,” MEC Buthelezi emphasized. “They provide early alerts, granting residents crucial time to evacuate. This programme is already yielding positive results, with increased community awareness and faster response times in previous incidents.”

This expanded programme is a cornerstone of the provincial government’s broader commitment to building community resilience and preventing future tragedies. “We are dedicated not only to responding swiftly to disasters but also to proactively working alongside communities to strengthen their resilience and prevent such devastating incidents from recurring,” MEC Buthelezi affirmed.

ENDS

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