SHEILA MHLONGO
Ngemva kweminyaka imililo ebulala abantu, idiliza imizi futhi idala ukwesaba, sekukhanya ithemba elisha emphakathini waku-Kennedy Road Informal Settlement e-Ward 25. Lesigceme esesike sahlaselwa izikhathi eziningi yimililo eshisa imizi ithathe nemiphefumulo sekuzoba yiphupho njengoba umphakathi uthole ukuqeqeshwa ngezindlela zokuzivikela kulenkinga yomlilo.
Ukuze kuvikelwe imiphakathi ebuthakathaka nokwakha amandla okuqina ezikhathini ezinzima, UMkhandlu waseThekwini ngokubambisana neMnyango Wezokulawulwa Kwezinhlekelele, ama-Fire Services kanye ne KZN Provincial Disaster Management Centre uqeqeshe abantu abangu-100 abahlala e-Kennedy Road ngolwazi lokuvikela umlilo kanye nokunciphisa ubungozi bezinhlekelele.
Lolu hlelo luhambisana nokugubha Usuku Lomhlaba Lokunciphisa Ubuqotho Bezinhlekelele (International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction), olugujwa minyaka yonke mhlaka-13 Okthoba ngaphansi kwendikimba ethi “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters” (Masekelwe Amandla Okuzimela, Hhayi Izinhlekelele).
IKennedy Road ibilokhu ibhekene nezinhlekelele zomlilo eziphindaphindekayo, okuholela ekulahlekelweni yimpahla, izindlu kanye nezimpilo zabantu. Lolu qeqesho luyisinyathelo esibalulekile sokunika amandla abahlali ukuba babe ngabaphenduli bokuqala uma kuvela umlilo emakhaya abo.
Ababambe iqhaza bafundiswe ngezindlela zokuvimbela umlilo, ukusebenzisa izinto zasendlini ngokuphepha, ukusabela ezimeni eziphuthumayo kanye nezindlela zokuphuma ngesikhathi somlilo. Bafunde futhi ukuwucisha umlilo omncane ukusiza abanye ngesikhathi senhlekelele, nokuvimbela ukusabalala komlilo ngaphambi kokufika kosizo.
UNkk. Confidence Gumede, oyi-Acting Chief Training Officer eMnyangweni Wezokucisha Umlilo uthe: “IKennedy Road ingesinye sezindawo ezingahleliwe ezihlale zihlushwa umlilo. Lolu qeqesho lubalulekile ukuze abahlali babe nolwazi namakhono okubavikela, bahlale bezolile futhi basabele kahle uma kuvela izimo eziphuthumayo.”
Lolu qeqesho luhlose nokukhuthaza uguquko lwesikhathi eside ezimisweni zokuphila, lukhulise isiko lokulungela izimo ezimbi. Ngokwakha ulwazi oluhlangene nokubambisana, uMkhandlu usiza umphakathi ukuba uzibophezele ekuvikeleni nasekwehliseni umthelela wezinhlekelele.
Lolu hlelo luphinde lwasekelwa yizinkampani SANTAM kanye GIASA, ezibambisene noMkhandlu ekukhuthazeni ukuphila okuphephile kanye nokwakha umphakathi oqinile. Omunye wabahlali baseKennedy Road, uNkk. Thobile Cele, ubonge uMkhandlu nabalingani ngokuqeqeshwa okuguqule impilo yabo ethi, ukungabi nolwazi kube enye yezimbangela eziyinhloko zezinhlekelele zomlilo.
“Manje njengoba sesinawo amandla nolwazi, singazivikela thina, imindeni yethu nomakhelwane bethu, ngaleyo ndlela sithuthukise ukuphepha kwendawo yethu,” kusho yena.
Lolu hlelo luyaqhubeka njengengxenye yokubambisana phakathi kukamasipala nemiphakathi ukuvikela izimpilo, ingqalasizinda nemisebenzi yokuziphilisa, kuncishiswe nomthelela wezomnotho wesikhathi eside.
