CoJ insists it has plan to address hijacked buildings following another deadly fire

JOHANNESBURG - The Johannesburg Metro insists it has a plan to address the hijacked building crisis in the city centre after another fire claimed residents' lives.

At least four people were killed after a fire broke out in a three-storey building in Jeppestown on Sunday.

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It's understood that the building, which residents referred to as Enkanini, was hijacked, with illegal electricity connections running through it.

Hijacked and abandoned buildings are prevalent in the Johannesburg CBD. In fact, the building next to Enkanini is also hijacked.

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero said this was a complicated issue that has persisted for a very long time.

"We have been engaging with our national and provincial government to help us find a sustainable solution, and one of the biggest problems we are experiencing is those buildings that are constantly being hijacked by criminal syndicates, which requires us to also get law enforcement."

The mayor said the city had developed a strategy to deal with hijacked and abandoned buildings, which was 90% complete.

Part of the strategy includes reclaiming the buildings and releasing them to the private sector for development.