Inspectors from the Commission of Inquiry into Usindiso Building are seen outside a property in Vrededorp, 16 June 2024 during formal inpections of housing situations around Johannesburg. Picture: Michel Bega/The Citizen
The commission of inquiry into the Usindiso building fire is finalising its inspections of inner-city buildings and has unearthed the dire living conditions of many occupants.
The week-long inspections targeted abandoned and hijacked buildings in Hillbrow, Berea and surrounding areas.
During the last inspection in Vrededorp yesterday, property caretaker Karabo Saidi criticised city officials for abandoning the buildings and then claiming they were hijacked.
“They keep saying these are hijacked buildings but that is far from the truth. This is not hijacking because if we don’t occupy these houses, drugs and trafficking will be happening in these places. I am a rate-paying individual and since I took over the house, the city is receiving revenue from this place,” he said.
The building, owned by Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), has nine rooms with two people occupying a room for which Saidi charges R1 500. He said the building has water and electricity and complies with safety measures to prevent fires.
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“These properties were sitting vacant and abandoned by the city. There was no maintenance. I took over the place and have been renovating it. I’ve been running around to city officials and the JPC wanting to fix these issues, but they’re neglecting the buildings for their benefit. The issue won’t be solved overnight.”
A street away, occupants who have turned a municipal park into an informal settlement said about 37 people lived among the seven shacks with no electricity, one toilet and no running water.
Kegomoditswe Kgosinkwe said despite the living conditions, they had nowhere else to go.
“We were living on the streets and found the park turned into a dumping site. We removed all the rubble and trash, barricaded the yard and began putting up shacks.
“We got someone to install the toilet for ourselves and began living here for free. This place has helped us a lot,” said Kgosinkwe.
ALSO READ: Usindiso fire: Ball is in Lesufi and company’s court
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