‘Unsafe’ Joburg building condemned after weekend fire

Joburg City manager Floyd Brink says the residential building at Nugget and Commissioner street in the CBD has been condemned after a structural engineer’s report.

Brink and Joburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda assessed the building on Monday after a fire in the early hours of Sunday morning.

According to the City of Joburg, the city’s emergency management services received a call about a residential building fire in the early hours of Sunday morning.

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Two people jumped from the second floor, while three people were rescued from the balcony.

Two dead bodies were recovered from the building.

The fire spread quickly, affecting different levels of the building because of the combustible materials used, said the city.

About 160 people have been affected by the fire and the city has relocated them to a temporary accommodation.

A woman has since been arrested.

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Briefing the media on Monday, Gwamanda said no one would be able to access the building as of Monday, after a report declaring the building unsafe for occupation.

“The building will be condemned by this afternoon. We got a structural engineer’s report that already indicated to us that the building is not structurally safe. We will close it and no one will be able to access this particular building,” he said.

“Bad and hijacked buildings are an issue for us as the City. We are looking at options on how we will address this, on how to refurbish, rehabilitate and repurpose them, not only individual buildings, but we will be looking at them block per block. This will all form part of our inner city rejuvenation programme.”

While some of the affected residents were placed at a park in tents, they have complained of overcrowding.

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But Gwamanda says they were accommodated according to their number.

“There may have been other families that may have been committed during the course of the day. Social development is constantly assessing the situation.

“There are also elements of opportunism where you find that certain people from surrounding areas want to be counted with the affected families. We do not turn people away, but we undertake a process so we are able to provide for those affected.

“Should there be a situation where there is overcrowding, we will attend to the situation swiftly.”