Hijacked Jeppestown building fire survivors say their temporary shelters are unbearable

Most of the rooms in the Jeppestown building were gutted by the fire. (Photo: Silver Sibiya)

By Silver Sibiya

27 Aug 2024

Four people died and more than 200 were displaced when a fire broke out at yet another hijacked building in Jeppestown.

Survivors of the Jeppestown building fire say they are battling to survive in the “cold and wet” conditions of the tents on a nearby sports field, where they’ve been living since the deadly blaze on Sunday, August 25, 2024. Four people are confirmed to have died and a few others were treated in hospital.

“At night, it’s cold and windy. I don’t think I will stay for long because I can’t survive here,” said Thobeka Phakathi. She is one of more than 200 people who were displaced by the fire in a building in Jeppestown. The fire killed four people. The building is believed to have been hijacked.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Joburg CBD fire leaves 4 dead in tragic echo of Usindiso disaster

The City of Johannesburg’s emergency workers, including firefighters, responded to the fire and treated people for smoke inhalation.

Disaster relief organisation Gift of the Givers has been assisting by providing warm meals, blankets and baby formula to people at the temporary accommodation. Nonprofit organisation Impilo also assisted with donated clothes, food, and mobile showers. It will also be giving verification letters to those who lost their IDs.

Most of the rooms in the Jeppestown building were gutted by the fire. (Photo: Silver Sibiya)

This fire at yet another hijacked building in Johannesburg’s city centre came just days after survivors of the Usindiso building fire of August 2023 decided to launch class action litigation against the City to demand compensation.

Phakathi, who stayed on the second floor in the Jeppestown building, said she planned to borrow money so she could travel home to KwaZulu-Natal. Phakathi, like many of the other survivors, lost most of her belongings in the fire.

She said people living in the tents were given thin sponge mattresses and small blankets.

“We are grateful for the help, but it is not enough,” she said. “I’m unemployed. I used to work odd jobs. But I would rather go home because I may end up dying here.”

Access to showers

Nompilo Khumalo said at least at the tents they had access to showers.

“It’s not the same as staying on the streets, so we are grateful for that.”

Kwanda Xulu, who is living with a friend in another hijacked building, said: “The conditions at the tents wouldn’t be good for me… I feel like a child after losing everything. I have no ID, nothing left and now I can’t even operate my kota business on the pavement of the building.”

Ward 61 Councillor Themba Mkhize said the residents will not be allowed to return to the building, which had since been deemed unsafe. He said the same building had caught fire in 2022, and it was possible that the structure would collapse.

He said he had been reporting the hijacked buildings in his ward, but the City had been slow to address the problem.

Mayoral Committee Member for Public Safety Mgcini Tshwaku said that since the Usindiso building fire a year ago, a special mayoral committee was established to deal with hijacked buildings in the city centre.

“We’ve done more and more investigations of the buildings… So most of these buildings, we’ve closed them and submitted a report to the City. Residents must be relocated,” he said.

He added that the newly elected mayor planned to ask for national funds to rehabilitate some of the dilapidated and hijacked buildings. Without giving any timelines, Tshwaku said that at this stage the transitional accommodation was the only thing they could offer to affected residents.

City spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane said they would issue a statement later on Tuesday, 27 August.

Johannesburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said they were investigating the cause of the fire. DM

First published by GroundUp.

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Access to showers