A man who lost all his belongings in a cottage fire in Tokai is pleading for help.
Royston Paff says he has been living in a cottage in the Tokai Forest for eight years.
Mr Paff’s parents are both former employees of the Tokai Forest and have been living on the property for over 20 years.
Mr Paff’s cottage is behind his parents’ home.
His mother noticed the fire on September 20 around 1pm and reported it.
Mr Paff says that the most valuable thing that he lost in the fire was his photographic equipment, which included a camera worth over R9 000.
SANParks have told Mr Paff they are investigating the cause of the fire.
Mr Paff says he suspects that one of the baboons in the forest may have gotten on top of his roof and tampered with electrical lines.
Mr Paff says he makes a living through his events company and this is where he uses most of his camera equipment.
He organises children’s birthday parties and does matric dance photo shoots.
He said he would appreciate a donation of camera equipment so that he can earn money to rebuild his life. He says he has received a few clothing donations but unfortunately most of them did not fit.
“A lot of the clothes that have been given to me are too big for me.
“But I’ve been giving them back to some of the people who need them too on outreach. I won’t let them go to waste,” he said.
If people want to donate to Mr Paff, they can call him on 060 321 5671 or 073 840 8848.