Deputy Chairperson, I move without notice:
That the Council -
1) notes that a raging fire broke out at the Jika Joe informal settlement in Pietermaritzburg yesterday morning, leaving 10 shacks gutted and more than 40 people homeless;
2) further notes that one shack dweller sustained burns to his arms while trying to extinguish the fire and many residents lost their properties;
3) calls on the relevant departments and the people of KwaZulu-Natal, particularly the business community, to open their hearts and assist the people of Jika Joe informal settlement; and
4) urges our people to be more vigilant as we enter a period where many of them rely more on open fires, coal and paraffin stoves.
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.