Lack of action will fan more fires, deaths in Joburg's hijacked buildings – Nocks Seabi

The chairperson of the portfolio committee on human settlements, Nocks Seabi, says he is concerned by the lack of clear plans to address the utilisation of dilapidated and abandoned buildings in the City of Joburg.

Seabi said the lack of action will lead to more fires and loss of life. "The city cannot continue to leave this challenge to fester, as it is an existential risk to the lives of the people who inhabit those buildings," Seabi said.

On Sunday, four people lost their lives when the building they were occupying was gutted by fire in Jeppestown. Three others were injured.

The incident happened at the corner of Jannie and Jules streets around 1.15am. The victims were aged between 30 and 40.

Joburg's Emergency Management Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said the cause of the fire was believed to be illegal electrical connections.

On Monday, Seabi said despite promises made by both the city and the provincial administration to deal with hijacked buildings, there was a lack of tangible implementation of those commitments.

He also called on the implementation of the recommendations made in the Khampepe commission of inquiry report, which investigated the Usindiso building fire in which 76 people lost their lives in August 2023.

Seabi said it was unacceptable that despite the conclusion of the report, no tangible action has been visible. "The lack of clear and time-bound action plans feeds into the perception of a government that pays lip service to challenges faced by residents of the City of Johannesburg."

He said the city and the provincial government needed to find workable strategies to deal with the scourge of hijacked buildings and mechanisms to provide habitable human settlements for the people.

On Sunday, Joburg mayor Dada Morero said the city was currently developing a strategy which, according to him, was 90% complete.

"The strategy will see the city taking over government-owned buildings and giving them to entrepreneurs so that they can turn them into residential or commercial properties," he said.

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