Socio Economic Impact of the Knysna Fires – Help Desperately Needed
Sedgefield, Western Cape, 20 June 2017 – Two weeks after the first fire started raging the reality of the damage and impact is becoming very real for residents. The relief operations centre in Sedgefield has started doing a census of impacted families and has a registry set up to ensure all the impacted families and households receive the assistance they need.
The disaster relief team has just started their work and there are many areas that cannot be accessed as yet due to flare ups of fires and other environmental issues such as downed power lines.
As many as 500 families in the Sedgefield area alone have been registered and verified as homeless, and these are just the tip of the iceberg. There are a number of registration points in and around the Knysna and Sedgefield area and families and business owners are encouraged to go register and ensure they will receive the help they need.
Job losses due to the fire are in the thousands as many farms and tourism businesses such as B&B’s and guest houses have been decimated and the rebuilding process is going to take months if not years.
The economic impact is astronomical; people have not only lost their homes and property but also their jobs or any opportunity they may have had to earn an income.
There is an urgent call for more assistance from the Sedgefield/Knysna Disaster team led in Sedgefield by Mario Ferreira. Mario says “We urgently need more food donations, especially protein based foods such as viennas in cans, bully beef and other long life canned food item.”
There is a shortage of the following items and any donations are welcome:
Salt, Sugar, Milk, Breakfast Cereals, Baby Food, Baby Formula, Household Goods, Pots , Pans, Cutlery, Bully Beef, Viennas in Cans , Mielie Meal and cleaning materials.
In Johannesburg the #KnysnaFireJoziLove team still a collection point running at Lenbar, 185 Galjoen Street, and Wadeville from 9 till 5.
If you would like to contact the Sedgefield/ Knysna Disaster team directly please feel free to contact Mario Ferreria on +27 82 490 2752.
Media Contact:
Elsabe Booyens
076 406 2001
elsabebooyens@gmail.com
