WATCH | Gauteng residents brave cold with fires and blankets

The biting cold weather in Gauteng has forced residents of informal settlements to find alternative ways to keep warm, with many relying heavily on blankets and imbawulas (braziers) as temperatures plunged on Tuesday.

The majority of residents living in informal settlements do not have electricity, and for many residents, an imbawula is their only source of warmth.

The South African Weather Service has forecast cloudy and cold conditions across Gauteng, accompanied by scattered showers and thundershowers. Light snowfall hit parts of Pretoria in the early morning.

In the Good Hope informal settlement in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, residents say the cold weather has been particularly difficult, as limited access to electricity made it impossible to use heaters for extended periods.

Mpho Nong, who was visiting her husband from Limpopo, said she was relying heavily on blankets to cope with the freezing conditions.

“We cannot afford gas or paraffin, so we have to collect wood to make fires, cook and keep warm.” —Prudence Khanyi from Kliptown.

“It’s extremely cold, and I would have stayed in bed the whole day if I didn’t have to go out to refill the gas cylinder,” she said. “It costs about R130 for 3kg, and it lasts us about three weeks.”

Nong said she had avoided relying on imbawulas because of the safety risks of using them indoors.

“I don’t like using that type of heating because I already struggle with breathing and I have a problem with the smoke,” she said. “I can’t even begin to imagine the children breathing that in, and most of the families here do that. It’s dangerous.”

For grandmother Gladys Malapile, who lives in the settlement with her three grandchildren, the weather brought a brief glimpse of snow before rain set in after 10am.

“We do use the imbawula inside the house and we know it’s very dangerous, especially the smoke. We burn it outside and then bring it in once the flames have subsided,” she said.

Malapile said every morning they gather wood for a fire because they can’t afford to buy gas.

Sowetan also spoke to a homeless man in Bedfordview who was heading to a recycling centre to sell his wares. He was drenched by rain.

“I don’t have a choice but to go out and get some small change for food because I don’t have the luxury to sit around and feeling the cold. If I don’t do this, I’ll die of hunger,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prudence Khanyi from Kliptown said families often only light fires at night for cooking and warmth.

“We cannot afford gas or paraffin, so we have to collect wood to make fires, cook and keep warm,” Khanyi said.

Meanwhile in Alexandra, two fires were set on either side of a bridge on Corlett Drive, where a group of homeless men and passersby gathered for warmth.

One of the men said they collect wood to keep warm and usually sleep next to the fire because that’s the only warmth they can get.

Emergency services recommend the following precautions to prevent fire hazards:

• Never leave candles, paraffin stoves or open flames unattended;
• Extinguish candles and switch off heating devices before going to sleep or leaving home;
• Keep candles, heaters and open flames away from curtains, bedding, clothing and other flammable materials;
• Avoid overloading electrical plugs and extension cords;
• Ensure paraffin stoves and heaters are in good working condition and placed on stable, non-flammable surfaces;
• Do not leave children unattended in homes where candles, heaters, or cooking appliances are in use;
• Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children;
• Plan an escape route and ensure everyone in the household knows how to evacuate quickly in the event of a fire; and
• If a fire starts, leave the structure immediately and call the fire department or emergency services from a safe location.

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