Home » Overwhelming Kindness Means No More Donations Needed Today for #HelderbergFire, South Africa

Overwhelming Kindness Means No More Donations Needed Today for #HelderbergFire, South Africa

South Africans in the Western Cape have outdone themselves! After an INCREDIBLE outpouring of kindness in response to a request from firefighters for water and non-perishable food, so many donations have been received that no more drop-offs are required today for the #Helderberg fire! Thank you soooo much SA! See Video Update below of a young […]

By SAPeople
04-01-17 19:37
in Fab South African Stuff

South Africans in the Western Cape have outdone themselves! After an INCREDIBLE outpouring of kindness in response to a request from firefighters for water and non-perishable food, so many donations have been received that no more drop-offs are required today for the #Helderberg fire! Thank you soooo much SA! See Video Update below of a young unemployed man who pitched in today… and found his calling in life.

Edwina from Fire Wives confirmed with SAPeople that Centre Points had been overloaded with kind donations, and they were asking generous locals to hold off for today. She said at the moment they have everything they need for the whole area – Gordon’s Bay, Somerset West Strand, up to Sir Lowry’s Pass – and would spend the day taking stock of what they have. 

Once they know the status of their stocks and the fires, they will determine what more they may need.

Meanwhile scenes of kindness have been seen around the Western Cape as firefighters have battled against the fires which spread yesterday during strong winds.

UPDATE: Watch the video below of an unemployed man who worked hard alongside firefighters to help put out the fires. Beforehand he had been fighting the flames on his own, armed with only a blue gum branch. See more below…

Many residents were evacuated last night from some areas of Somerset West, but it’s not only humans that needed rescuing.

After yesterday’s blaze at Bezweni Lodge in Sir Lowry’s Pass village, Peta Steyn in Somerset West wrote on SAPeople.com today that “people arrived from all over to bring horse carriers to shift the horses, and some were walked out of the area until they met with horse carriers.

“People have been amazing! Unfortunately the fight isn’t over as the fire has swelled up again…”

VWS Wildfires reports that crews continue to battle #SomersetWestFire #HelderbergFire with some success as the day heats up.

WATCH Unemployed man pitches into to help fire-fighters in Somerset West

TimesLive uploaded this video of a 24-year-old man who was one of several local residents who pitched in to help firefighters as fires raged through Somerset West and the Hottentots-Holland mountains. Diwan Blom had been fighting the flames on his own, with just a blue gum tree branch, since 9am this morning. He told TMG Digital: “I thought I might as well keep busy‚ I’m not working you see. I just wanted to make a contribution.” Diwan was tasked with carrying a fire hose and extinguishing smouldering debris. Diwan lives alone – his father is in prison and his mother has died. He says he has now discovered his purpose in life – to be a firefighter. (Btw – volunteers are welcomed, according to a firefighter on the scene, but they have to register at the volunteer station.)

Latest Update on Cape Fires today, Wednesday 4 January 2017:

Working on Fire, which has deployed 150 firefighters from the Eastern Cape and Free State to assist with multiple fires in the Western Cape, provided this latest update on where the fires are currently burning:

Fire 1: Somerset West Fires, Day 2 – Boskloof Estate, Bestweni Estate and Hansekop Fire
Fire 2: Hawequa Plantation 2 – Ongoing Day 3
Fire 3: Klip op mekaar – Ongoing Day 2
Fire 4: Dutoitskloof Lodge – Ongoing Day 2
Fire 5: Mouton’s Hoek Village – Ongoing (Day 2)

Locals and tourists in the area are asked to please not attempt to access the affected areas. 

#ThankYouSouthAfricans