Gift of the Givers is providing humanitarian relief to around 300 households in Jagersfontein, Fouriesville, Charlesville and Itumeleng who lost their homes after a mine dam wall collapsed on Sunday.
GIFT of the Givers is providing humanitarian relief to around 300 households in Jagersfontein, Fouriesville, Charlesville and Itumeleng who lost their homes after a mine dam wall collapsed on Sunday.
Gift of the Givers disaster co-ordinator Corene Conradie said on Tuesday that the affected areas had no access to drinking water or food.
“The mine is paying for some of the affected families to stay at a private hotel in Bloemfontein until Friday. We will remain here until the end of the week to ensure that they are taken care of once they return home,” said Conradie.
She added that some families and individuals, including the elderly and the sickly, stayed behind.
“There is a patient who is suffering from diabetes whose condition is deteriorating as her insulin cannot be stored at the required temperature. There is no power supply and the affected towns have been completely cut off.”
Conradie was concerned that in the event of a fire there would be no resources to put it out as there was no water supply.
“Most residents are using fire to cook and in the event of a fire we will have another disaster on our hands.”
She said that they were distributing food, water, hygiene products, clothing and other essential items.
“A farmer lost 160 of his cattle who were washed away by the sludge. We are taking antibiotics to him so that he can administer it to his remaining livestock.”
