One woman has died, while her child and partner sustained serious burn wounds following a fire that destroyed between 13 and 14 shacks at the Swapo Informal Settlement in Copesville, Pietermaritzburg. KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma says he was contacted by a distressed community leader at around 3:30 this morning. Duma says teams from his office, provincial and national human settlements departments have been assigned to work with the Msunduzi Municipality to assist affected residents. He says the fire has caused further emotional and financial trauma for families already facing socio-economic challenges. Ndabezinhle Sibiya is the spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport and Human Settlements.