Fire fighting and electrical connections Chris Hani

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=30 BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" style=" border-left: 1px solid #3366CC;" BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Tulbagh Info Information</B></div> <div> Fire fighting and electrical connections Chris Hani</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="120" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#0099CC HEIGHT= 15 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="local_news.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tulbagh News Page 2"><U>Back to Local News</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>Previous correspondence - if any - follows after in sequence below.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Yet another fire destroys a shack in the informal settlement of Chris Hani.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>T.R.I.F</B></div> <div> <B>Tulbagh Ratepayers and Inwoners Forum</B></div> <div> <B>P O Box 10, </B></div> <div> <B>Tulbagh,</B></div> <div> <B>6820</B></div> <div> <B>email : </B><B>rockyvalley@telkomsa.net</B></div> <div> <B>023 2302172</B></div> <div> <B>082 6538229</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> The Municipal Manager </div> <div> Witzenberg Municipality</div> <bR> <div> 16 April, 2010<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Dear David,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Fires in the Chris Hani informal Settlement and illegal electricity connections</B></div> <bR> <div> Last month one shack burnt down in the Chris Hani shackland and that unfortunate person lost all their possessions. In that instance, it was apparently arson. This week, another shack burnt down and the poor single lady lost everything also. In this instance, the fire was started as a result of a short circuit form a 'home built' electrical connection.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> In both instances the shacks burnt down very fast.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> However, my information has it that when whatever fire fighting service arrived (a bakkie stationed in Tulbagh (for which I am thankful for - if it is a permanent situation), the shack was completely burnt out. </div> <bR> <div> <B>The implications are serious. </B></div> <bR> <div> 1. Should any of the fires have spread throughout the shackland, this would have been a disaster for many more and could have resulted in death or injury.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> 2. To fight a major fire in the squatter area, there should be a fire hydrant for the replenishment of the fire tender's water. In any event the capacity of the water supply to the various water points is so week that there was not enough water for the residents to even attempt to fight the fire with buckets.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> 3. The matter of the illegal electrical connections must be stopped immediately and alternative and proper electrical connections must be made available to the residents in that area as a top priority (my previous correspondence in that matter refers).<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Your attention to this problem will be appreciated.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Kind regards,<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> John Veschini<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Chairperson</div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" width=28 style=" border-top: 1px solid #0066CC; border-left: 1px solid #0066CC;border-right: 1px solid #0066CC; border-bottom: 1px solid #0066CC;" BGCOLOR="#0066CC" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>