A massive fire is raging across several areas in Kouga, causing widespread power outages and prompting urgent evacuation orders and road closures.
The fire, which started on Tuesday, has spread rapidly due to strong winds and dry conditions, affecting areas like Zwartenbosch, Oyster Bay Road and Kromme River.
Emergency services are on the scene, and residents are being urged to evacuate immediately.
“Overnight a few more people were evacuated, it is estimated at this stage because a few things happened overnight- so estimated around 40- people at this stage evacuated. Teams have been working through out the night, trying to get control of the fires- and we’ve had amazing support from residents, and businesses bringing food and water, and supplies to most firefighters and evacuated residents,” says Mayor of Kouga Municipality is Hattingh Bornman.
WATCH | Residents of Zwartenbosch in the Eastern Cape have been ordered to evacuate as a fire continues to rage. Kouga Municipality mayor Hattingh Bornman gives an update on the situation. pic.twitter.com/rIbsiFjqZc
— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 8, 2026
VIDEO | Uncontrolled Kouga fires force evacuation along R330 – Hattingh Bornman & Joseph Johnston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0v0fVGwHV8
Gift of the Givers Foundation are on site Jeffreys Bay and Humansdorp as to offer assistance to communities that have been affected the raging fires. The raging fires have led to several National and local road closures. Emergency services in the Eastern Cape are on high alert as fires continue to rampage certain areas of the province.
Founder and chair of the Gift of the Givers, Foundation Dr Imtiaz Sooliman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBxjmu1jwRo
WATCH | SABC News reporter Kim Daniels is in Humansdorp, Eastern Cape, with an update as Kouga Municipality orders the immediate evacuation of residents due to a raging fire. pic.twitter.com/AcTTa18sLL
— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 8, 2026
‘There’s no electricity’
The Manager of the St Francis Disaster Volunteer Group, Liezl Clause, says some infrastructure in St Francis Bay has been damaged by a fire that is spreading in the holiday town.
The Kouga municipality has issued an urgent warning for residents of the Zwartenbosch area along the R330 road to vacate their homes immediately due to uncontrolled fires.
Clause says St Francis Bay is currently without electricity.
“We do know that some structures have already been burned, formal and informal structures have been burned. Also infrastructure has been damaged, there’s no electricity in St Francis Bay at the moment. So we’re going to have to assess over the next few days where the immediate needs are, assist wherever we can. Our role as the disaster volunteer group is that we’ll shift from being active on the frontline firefighting communications and then shift to some post-fire support and try and get people just back to homes and assist them with whatever they need.”
Garden Route
SANParks says a wildfire is currently burning in the Keurbooms-Soetkraal area within the Tsitsikamma Section of the Garden Route National Park.
The fire is believed to have been caused by lightning. The fire has spread over an estimated 10 000 hectares.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brQLCN-XnlQ
