Over 150 people left homeless after devastating shack fire in Pretoria’s Sivilcon settlement

Mapaballo Borotho

More than 150 people have been displaced after a massive fire destroyed around 70 homes in Pretoria’s Sivilcon Informal Settlement.
Emergency services responded swiftly, managing to contain the blaze with no injuries or fatalities reported.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, warning residents to use heating devices safely.

More than 150 people have been left without a home in Pretoria following a tragic fire incident that ripped through the Sivilcon Informal Settlement in the City of Tshwane.

Approximately seventy homes were destroyed when the fire erupted on Saturday afternoon. Emergency personnel were notified, and multiple firefighting units were dispatched to the scene.

Emergency Services spokesperson for the City, Nana Kgiba, said crews from Silverton, Innesdale, and Wonderboom Fire Stations arrived promptly and began firefighting operations to suppress the blaze.

“Emergency services were alerted to the incident via the Emergency Communication Centre at approximately 13:07 this afternoon,” said Kgiba.

She confirmed that although the fire destroyed almost everything in its path, no lives were lost and no injuries were reported.

“However, approximately 70 shacks were destroyed, displacing more than 150 people. The City’s Disaster Management will coordinate rehabilitation efforts with different stakeholders. Firefighting teams worked methodically to contain the flames and manage the intense heat and smoke. The coordinated effort by firefighters ensured the blaze was quickly brought under control, preventing further spread and protecting nearby homes.”

Kgiba urged residents to use heating devices safely and to never leave candles or other heat sources unattended.

“Building safer communities is a shared responsibility, and the Emergency Services Department encourages everyone to exercise caution when using heating equipment,” she said.

The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed, but officials say the reckless use of heating devices cannot be ruled out.