Knysna fires: Out of tragedy, we must rebuild together
12 June 2017
I have spent today in Knysna, visiting the communities of Concordia, White Location, Knysna Heights, Welbedacht, and Brenton, to meet with residents who were affected by the tragic fires, and to assess the current situation. I was joined by the Mayor, Cllr Eleanore Bouw-Spies, who also took me to the Joint Operations Centre, which she established, and which has been the headquarters of the rescue mission.
The situation is truly heart-breaking. I am told that six people have lost their lives as a direct result of these fires. One man I met today has lost both his wife and his six year old daughter, and the home they lived in. People’s lives, like the landscape itself, lie in ashes.
I wish to extend my sincere condolences, and those of the Democratic Alliance, to those who lost their loved ones in this disaster. Out of this tragedy, we must redouble our efforts to rebuild people’s lives and bring hope to the future.
DA branches in the region are mobilising to provide humanitarian support in the form of food, shelter, and clothing. I congratulate them on their quick response, for which I am deeply grateful.