The 77 people who lost their lives in a fire in Johannesburg in August 2023 commission report attributed, among other things, to extreme poverty and shortage of affordable houses. The fire destroyed the Usindiso building in Marshalltown, a place where the poor were residing.
The Gauteng provincial government thus decided to commission an inquiry into the incident. The tragedy not only cost the country but also brought to light the issue of housing inequalities in the richest city of Africa.Â
The commission inspected around 110 properties and found that almost 80% had fire safety concerns, while 71% lacked fire safety equipment.
The findings in the report debunk the belief of “hijacked buildings” that only few (5%) of downtown properties were rapped in non-owners taking over the management to illegally collect rent.
The commission, however, pointed out that the cause was overcrowding, the existence of dangerous combustible materials in the walls, fire exits that had been blocked, and an absence of basic services, including water for drinking and waste disposal.
Sthembiso Mdlalose is currently on trial for the fire, facing 76 counts of murder after he initially confessed and then withdrew his statement.
The commission recommended enlisting a social housing plan, installing basic services, and lowering regulatory barriers for developers. Reports say that some of the survivors have still not been rehoused from temporary accommodation two years after the fire.
