Death toll in South Africa’s “hijacked” building fire rises

Authorities in South Africa say a building that caught fire early Thursday killing over 70 people was “hijacked”, an expression that means it was controlled by illegal landlords.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described the devastating fire that tore through the rundown five-story Johannesburg apartment block overnight, a “tragedy”. By evening, death toll had risen to 74.

The fire which raged through the building over-night injured more than 50 leaving a severely damaged and smoked building.

President Ramaphosa added that the “unprecedented” incident is a “wake-up call” and hopes a thorough investigation will prevent future occurrences.

“Hijacked”

The tragic incident highlights the widespread challenges of inequality, poverty and homelessness in a city notorious for household fires.

The building, now gutted and charred, and was smouldering when emergency services arrived.

Municipal authorities, who owned the block, struggle to determine its occupants’ identities who mostly dealt with gangs that controlled the building, raising concerns of a “hijacked building”.

“Hijacked building”, a term referring to abandoned buildings that have been illegally taken over and rented out by criminal syndicates, are a well-known refuge to the thousands of homeless people around the city.

Such buildings, scattered over the province are poorly managed, with little access to amenities such as running water and electricity have also become dilapidated centres of drugs crime and other lawlessness.

Angela Rivers, general manager at Johannesburg Property Owners and Managers Association said the gutted building was one of more than 57 known hijacked buildings in the Central Business District of the city, mostly owned by the city or the provincial government.

Witnesses recount harrowing scenes, with a student describing a fatal fall from the fourth floor.

Survivor Omar Arafat mourns the loss of his sister and his family’s possessions, having narrowly escaped himself.

The city authorities say at least 74 bodies have been recovered, including 12 children and 24 women, with over 50 people treated for injuries.

Johannesburg’s societal disparities and housing crisis is renowned and may have contributed to such tragedies.

Initial assumptions that squatters occupied the building have evolved. Officials suggest that criminal gangs may have exploited vulnerable renters.

The incident underscores the dire need for housing solutions in Gauteng province, where approximately 1.2 million people await proper housing.”