By: Natasha Archary
The City of Johannesburg (COJ) has been found liable for the Usindiso building fire tragedy which claimed the lives of 76 people living in the hijacked building on 31 August 2023.
Findings by the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry found that the COJ had contravened multiple by-laws and did not deliver basic services to the residents of the building.
Judge Sisi Khampepe said the impact of the fire could have been mitigated if the building was compliant.
“The City of Joburg allowed the violation of public health by-laws, building regulations and all other steps that would have mitigated the impact of the fire had they been compliant.
For instance, the absence of doors swinging in the direction of escape roots due to being welded together and the blocking of passageways, escape routes and stairways is evidence of contravention of section 13 of the emergency services by-laws.
The use of firefighting connections to source water for domestic use due to the disconnection of a possible water supply is evidence of the contravention of the water bylaws.”
Judge Sisi Khampepe
The Usindiso building was a municipality building in 1954, before it was taken over by the Usindiso Ministries to be used as a shelter for abused women.
In 2017 the building was abandoned and was hijacked by mostly foreign nationals who were living there.
Recommendations to demolish the Usindiso building were laid out by the Commission.
The Commission also recommended that action be taken against several members of the COJ as well as the property company that disregarded managing the Usindiso building since 2019.
[WATCH]: Justice Sisi Khampepe briefs members of the media on the findings of Part (a)(i) of the Terms of Reference of the Usindiso Building Commission of Inquiry. pic.twitter.com/UFJedhVCZ9
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Survivors from the Usindiso fire who have been displaced since August 2023, living in temporary structures in Denver.
