A seven-months pregnant woman was taken to hospital after a fire broke out at the Saartjie Baartman Centre in Manenberg on Monday.
The fire started in the accommodation section of the centre in Klipfontein Road at about 5am on Monday May 11, and the women and children were evacuated. The Saartjie Baartman Centre is a refuge for destitute women and children with a background of abuse and substance abuse, among other social issues.
Faiez Jacobs, member of parliament for the greater Athlone, said residents alerted him to the fire after they heard loud sounds and saw smoke coming from the building. He said he then called on the City of Cape Town’s disaster risk management team to go out and assess the damages. The pregnant woman was taken to hospital after she experienced a shortness of breath but no other injuries were reported.
Mr Jacobs said last Thursday, May 7, his office had dropped off donations of food and other goods to the value of R8 000 for the about 120 women and children at the centre.
“We don’t yet know how the fire started and I’m not sure if the centre is closed but we are calling on relevant parties to rally around the centre to help them recover from the fire,” he said.
The spokesman for the City’s Fire and Rescue Service, Jermaine Carelse, said the department was alerted to the fire after 7am and fire crews from Epping, Gugulethu and Ottery responded. The fire was extinguished at 8.53am.
To make donations call the Athlone Parliamentary Constituency Office on 021 697 4183.