Joburg Mayor Dada Morero, reflecting on the complexities of building hijackings in the city’s inner areas, remarked that these issues are not straightforward. His statement comes on the anniversary of a devastating fire at the Usindiso building, which claimed over 70 lives a year ago. This tragedy highlighted the severe problems caused by the hijacking of buildings in Johannesburg’s CBD, where many reside in dire conditions.
The city has identified 188 buildings under illegal occupation, including 14 state-owned properties. The rest are privately owned.
Further insights into the crisis include reports from an inquiry that described how gangs dominated the Usindiso building, maintaining strict control over its operations. Even a year after the tragedy, the city continues to struggle with the issue of building hijackings.
Mayor Morero expressed the city’s limited capacity to address these illegal occupations alone. “It is also important to note that the challenges of the inner city are much bigger than we thought. And in fact, we require as many partnerships as possible, including provincial government. So, there are other options we are now looking at.”
Before any eviction can occur, the city is legally required to arrange alternative accommodations for the occupants and must also secure a court order to legally remove residents from these properties.
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