Deadly South African building fire blamed on lack of affordable housing

[18 hours ago] South African authorities say "extreme poverty and a severe lack of affordable housing" were major factors in a deadly Johannesburg building fire two years ago. In August 2023, 77 people died and many more were injured after a fire gutted the Usindiso building in Marshalltown, where many poor people were living. The tragedy shocked the nation and highlighted the deep housing inequalities in Africa's wealthiest city - inequalities the authorities promised to address. The report, the final one to be released, has not been made public but the Gauteng provincial government, which commissioned it, shared some key findings. One person is currently on trial over the deadly blaze. Sthembiso Mdlalose initially confessed to starting the fire but recanted his statement when the trial got underway. He has since pleaded not guilty to 76 counts of murder among other charges. Among the findings shared was that "hijacked buildings" - properties overtaken by criminals who charge others rent - are not the primary problem plaguing downtown Johannesburg's abandoned buildings. Instead, the report found that only 5% of the city's buildings "had allegations of rent collection by non-owners". These buildings are often overcrowded and dangerous, with flimsy partitions made of combustible materials like plywood and fabric, to separate large spaces into smaller rooms, and blocked fire exits. Following the fire, a commission of inquiry was set up with a two-fold mission: firstly to investigate the causes of the fire, and secondly to identify the underlying reasons behind the spread of hijacked buildings. As part of its investigation, the commission reportedly inspected around 110 properties, and "uncovered crucial insights that challenge common assumptions". Almost 80% of the properties surveyed had fire-safety concerns, and 71% lacked any fire-safety equipment. BBC News in Johannesburg[Mayeni Jones]