Marlboro fire victims appeal for temporary shelter

Victims of the Marlboro fire in a disused factory have called on the City of Johannesburg to find them alternative temporary shelter as they sleep outside on the street.

Some of the corrugated iron sheets are being piled up in the street by residents busy with the resuscitation of shacks in the disused factory fire in Marlboro. Photo: Sipho Siso

The Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Pam Tshwete and the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg Dr Mpho Phalatse visited the victims of a fire in Marlboro.

A man is busy at work in a bid to remove dangerously hanging corrugated iron sheets of the burnt-out shacks in Marlboro. Photo: Sipho Siso

The fires destroyed more than 200 shacks that are built in a disused factory on June 24. There were no reported injuries in the fire that broke out around 11:00. It was suspected to have been caused by an appliance that was left switched on during load shedding.

Human Settlements Deputy Minister Pam Tshwete shakes hands with her counterpart in the City MMC for Human Settlements Mlungisi Mabaso. In the background is Linda Twala and Executive Mayor of Johannesburg Dr Mpho Phalatse. Photo: Sipho Siso

Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Pam Tshwete, Alex philanthropist Linda Twala and Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg Dr Mpho Phalatse listen attentively to the victims of the fire in Marlboro. Photo: Sipho Siso

Phalatse was also accompanied by her two MMCs, Human Settlements’ Mlungisi Mabaso and Community Safety’s David Tembe, who all conducted an inspection tour of the building’s shell along with Tshwete.

The officials later addressed the occupants of the factory which was described by Ward 108 councillor Deborah Francisco as ‘a hijacked building that she had battled for many years to get council to move in and sort out the mess with no joy’.

Some of the corrugated iron sheets of rubble are being piled up in the street by residents busy with the resuscitation of shacks in the disused factory fire in Marlboro. Photo: Sipho Siso

Human Settlements Deputy Minister Pam Tshwete greets her counterpart in the City MMC for Human Settlements Cllr Mlungisi Mabaso and looking on is Alex’s Godfather Linda Twala and Executive Mayor of Johannesburg Cllr Dr Mpho Phalatse. In the background is a burnt-out shell of the disused factory. Photo: Sipho Siso

The issue of the hijacked building was corroborated by one of the leaders of the occupants who said two men have been coming in to collect rentals on a monthly basis in the past many years.

Tshwete indicated the building would be demolished as the structure was compromised and no longer suitable for occupancy.

“There are laws in this country that address hijacked buildings and we need to use them,” says Human Settlements Deputy Minister Pan Tshwete in the pink safety hat. In the background is the burnt-out shell of the disused Marlboro factory. Photo: Sipho Siso

“There are laws in this country that deal with hijacked buildings that also owe the municipality huge debts in terms of water and electricity bills and rates and taxes. If the hijackers were dealing on behalf of the absentee owner, where are they in the aftermath of the fire?

“A normal situation is that the owner or his agents would then avail themselves during a disaster like this but we don’t see them anywhere. Council will have to deal with this matter to recoup the lost revenue in one way or the other,” Tshwete said.

Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Pam Tshwete, Linda Twala and Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg Dr Mpho Phalatse listen attentively to the victims of the fire in Marlboro. Photo: Sipho Siso

In reply to residents’ demands to be temporarily housed in the meantime, Phalatse said there was no space to put up shelters anywhere in the area and they still have to sit down with other City departments to find a suitable place.
“We need to talk to the department involved and we will report back to you soon,” she said.

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