Parliament said the deployed committees would oversee the immediate and long-term efforts in response to the disaster that also displaced 200 people.
A firefighter looks out of broken windows at the scene of a fire in a building in Johannesburg on 31 August 2023. Picture: Michele Spatari/AFP
JOHANNESBURG – The National Assembly would deploy oversight committees to respond to the deadly Joburg CBD fire tragedy.
A five-storey was gutted by fire in the early hours of Thursday, leaving 76 people dead more than 50 others injured.
READ: JHB speaker Makhubele wants audit of all city-owned buildings after deadly blaze
Parliament said the deployed committees would oversee the immediate and long-term efforts in response to the disaster that also displaced 200 people.
Survivors of the deadly disaster have since been accommodated at temporary emergency shelters in parts of the city centre.
READ: CoJ contacts neighbouring countries following Joburg fire which claimed 76 lives
The tragedy has highlighted the city’s housing issues, as well as the illegal occupation of unused buildings owned by the city.
“These committees will also look into the distressing phenomenon of building hijacking within the city, a grave concern that demands urgent attention,” said Parliament’s spokesperson Moloto Mothapo.
“The assigned committees will also investigate the conditions of both private and government-owned buildings, focusing on their compliance with safety regulations. This effort aims to identify any gaps and ensure appropriate intervention to address deficiencies that could jeopardize the safety and lives of residents.”
Meanwhile, the South African Local Government Association (Salga) called for collective action and responsibility from officials in supporting victims, their families, and survivors.
Salga chairperson Ronald Nkosi said officials must prevent such incidents in future.
“While the cause of the fire needs to be investigated, we do know that the circumstances leading to this tragedy are rooted in multifaceted challenges at various levels,” said Nkosi.
“The complex issues of rapid urbanisation, and the need for housing on the one hand. Unscrupulous individuals who take advantage of desperate vulnerable people making them live in high-risk buildings and land illegally. It is essential to strengthen our country’s laws and municipal by-laws relating to security of tenure, especially for the poor and vulnerable while also preventing them from unlawfully occupying land and premises.”
