South Africa: Johannesburg  Town Hall Blames For Deadly Fire

The City of Johannesburg and its entities are liable for the deaths of the 76 people in a building fire, a report has found.

The nighttime fire at the five-story building in downtown Johannesburg in August last year, was one of South Africa’s worst disasters.

Retired Judge Sisi Khampepe was put in charge of the inquiry, which began in October. She delivered the first part of her report on Sunday (May. 5) and concluded that the City of Joburg, which owns the building, had shown “total disregard” for its “calamitous state.”

Judge Khampepe recommended that disciplinary action be taken against the chief executive officer of the Johannesburg Property Company, which oversees the city’s buildings. She also said that the building should be demolished, and a plaque erected as a memorial to the victims which included children.

There was a stunning development at the inquiry in January when a man due to testify as a resident that he had started the fire to burn the body of a man he had killed on the orders of a drug dealer.

The man who made the shocking confession was arrested and charged with 76 counts of murder and arson.

The disaster shed light on the housing crisis and illegal landlords who rent out space to people desperate for somewhere to live.

The fire left at least 12 children dead and 86 people injured.

Africanews/Patience Ameh