Paradise lost - the true cost of the Garden Route fire

By PETRU SAAL, FARREN COLLINS, KATHARINE CHILD, MAHLATSE MPHAHLELE and PHILANI NOMBEMBE

“Everything happened so fast. One minute the wind was blowing, the next thing the chickens were running wild,” said 42-year-old Michael Jafta, crouched under a grey blanket and waiting for a volunteer to warm soup.

He and his brother Johnny, 44, lost the home in Salt River, Knysna, they had lived in for a decade in one of the infernos that swept the Garden Route. “I lost everything, everything,” said a tearful Michael, who has taken refuge with his brother and dozens of others in Hornlee Community Hall.

Maureen Barnard, owner of Knysna Terrace Guesthouse, had taken in people who had lost their homes when her own property caught alight.

“I feel so bad because these people had already lost everything and then the guesthouse goes on fire,” she said yesterday.

“Thankfully I was able to save my cat and computer. Other than that I only have the clothes on my back.”

Knysna yesterday was full of shock, disbelief, confusion and loss. Wind-whipped wildfires that started on Wednesday forced 10000 people to flee their homes as the flames razed about 300 structures between Mossel Bay and Plettenberg Bay.

Evacuees were ferried to safety in buses, trucks and boats, and the discovery of a three-year-old’s body yesterday in Welbedacht brought the death toll to four. Tony Johnston, his wife Madre and their son Michael, 3, died in a fire in Rheenendal on Wednesday.

Lunice Johnston, Tony’s cousin, said the couple were high-school sweethearts who loved the outdoors. Both were part of a mountaineering club and were usually first to respond to emergencies.

“They lived in the forest. Very isolated,” she said. “We understand that their whole area was engulfed with flames and they tried to escape, but were literally just outside their home when they were trapped by thick smoke.”

Firefighters responded to at least 26 fires, one of which claimed the home of Dave Rademeyer, 40, who wandered aimlessly through the ruins of his home at Essendale farm yesterday. “Ja‚ it’s a bit a of thing‚ but we will rebuild‚’’ he said.

In Plettenberg Bay, Clifford Elphick — founder and CEO of Gem Diamond Mining — lost a multimillion-rand holiday home to the fire. He cancelled a trip to the UK to rush to the Garden Route.

The fires sparked a massive relief effort involving businesses, government agencies and NGOs around South Africa. Hundreds of local volunteers stepped in.

George resident Michelle Botes drove 50km on Wednesday to help fire victims in Buffels Bay. “To see people lose their houses and their belongings is hectic,” she said.

“The only thing they carried out is just a bag or blanket and a dog or a cat — that’s it.”

Springbok players and management also offered to help after spending last week at a training camp on the Garden Route in preparation for tomorrow’s first rugby Test against France.

Fires started at the same time raised “a big red flag” and suggested “deliberate agency”‚ said forensic investigator David Klatzow, adding that “hard questions need to be asked”.

“Once there are three‚ four‚ five‚ 20 fires [at the same time] you need an investigation,” he said.

But James-Brent Styan — spokesman for MEC of Local Government‚ Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Anton Bredell — said arson was not suspected nor being investigated.

Last night Knysna chief fire officer Clinton Manuel said firefighters were still battling flames in the town and the Kruisfontein area.

Disaster management spokes-man Gerhard Otto said a firefighter had incurred burns to 70% of his body and a member of the public suffered 50% burn wounds.

- The Times