The DA has blamed the Gauteng government for deadly fires in Johannesburg's abandoned buildings, criticising the state's failure to address human settlement problems.
On Sunday a fire broke out in an abandoned three-storey building in Jeppestown, Johannesburg, which claimed four lives and left three people injured and having to be treated for smoke inhalation.
This recent tragedy echoes the catastrophic fire at the Usindiso building in Marshalltown on August 31 2023. That incident resulted in the deaths of 76 people and numerous severe injuries.
DA MPL Mervyn Cirota blamed the government for the fires, saying the provincial government has failed to address the housing crisis in the province.
The Gauteng department of human settlements failure to decisively address the issue of abandoned and hijacked buildings in the Johannesburg CBD has resulted in yet another tragic incident, he said.
