Joburg CBD fire: Mayor reaches out to national govt to help displaced residents
This follows 160 residents who were left homeless after the hijacked Express building was set alight on Sunday morning.
A fire ravaged an apartment building on Commissioner Street on 21 January 2024, leaving two people dead and at least four others injured. Picture: X/@PublicSafetyMMC
JOHANNESBURG - the City of Johannesburg has reached out to the national government to avail resources for displaced people in the inner city.
This follows 160 residents who were left homeless after the hijacked Express building was set alight on Sunday morning.
Moreover, two people died and four others were left injured as a result.
One suspect has been arrested and charged with arson following the incident.
ALSO READ: Nearly 200 residents displaced following deadly Joburg CBD fire
Johannesburg Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda says the city will need financial assistance to cater to the needs of the destitute residents.
"They would have to assist us financially in terms of the facilities we would need to allocate to them. A screening process will be undertaken once we have located a place, we can send them to."
This is the second group of people that the city has had to provide accommodation for after the building they live in burnt down.
Currently, fire victims who survived the blaze at the Usindiso building in Marshalltown have been moved to Denver, with no indication of how long they will be there.