After hundreds of residents in Cape Town's informal settlements lost their homes in devastating fires that broke out on 31 March 2024, the private sector and a local radio station have stepped in to offer much-needed relief.
More than 300 shacks were destroyed or damaged in Settlers Way and Poles in Langa, and in Mfuleni (also known as Covid) – the flames spreading rapidly among the closely packed units, fanned by strong winds.
Some residents affected by the fires were equipped with Lumkani's fire alert devices, designed to pick up on rapid temperature increases inside informal dwellings and trigger an alarm not just in that home but also in other Lumkani-equipped structures within 60 metres, creating a community-wide fire alert. Despite the presence of this early-warning system in some dwellings, scores of shacks were burnt to the ground and belongings were lost.
Lumkani clients, Boniswa Sihlwele and Anele Nketo, who were among those who lost their belongings to the fires, commented on Lumkani’s quick service. They expressed confidence in Lumkani delivering on its payment promise and are looking forward to their claims being settled so they can recover from their loss.
Another Lumkani policyholder, Maphelo Nqeketo, added to their comments. “During my previous claims process after a fire, I was treated with care and respect and the claim was handled quickly – Lumkani paid out.”
In response to this disaster, Lumkani, its insurance partner Hollard and local radio station Zibonele FM visited the affected areas on 5 April. Together, they delivered over 200 hot meals and much-needed blankets to the fire victims in Langa and Mfuleni.
Nash Omar, CEO of Hollard Insure, shared a message of support: “When disaster strikes, it's our shared humanity that binds us together. Our hearts go out to these communities – as Hollard we’re committed to finding ways to help people in their time of need, and not just by providing insurance cover. We're proud to make our own small contribution to the efforts of the heroes at Lumkani and Zibonele FM as they offer some relief and help these families to rebuild their lives.”
