We Could All Do With a Few More Crises
Two stories from the Cape Town fire of 18 April 2021 to restore hope, in humanity and yourself.
The fire crept closer as we rushed to Olli’s house. We needed to pack his valuables and return to my flat, and we were racing flames a block away to do it.
I had a friend on the mountain. My girlfriend was hurriedly packing her stuff as she prepared to evacuate to my place. There were many to worry for, many to help.
On the morning of Sunday, 18 April 2021, a fire broke out on the mountain slopes in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. By midday, it reached the University. It engulfed a memorial that stood for a hundred years and devastated campus buildings, including a library of ancient books that will never be replaced.
Nature unleashed chaos on our Cape community. It threatened to destroy everything if the winds didn’t calm.
And yet, amongst that chaos, everyone stood up and looked for what they could do, and who they could help.
Everywhere were acts of courage and selfless deeds. People revealed their best as they cared for the worst affected, tended to the safety of friends, and rescued the most valuable of items.
