Panyaza Lesufi: Inquiry will assist in answering questions about Marshalltown fire
The Gauteng government said the commission of inquiry would assist in answering the many unanswered questions surrounding the Marshalltown fire.
On 31 August, a blaze ripped through a hijacked building in the Johannesburg inner city, killing 77 people and leaving many more with injuries.
The provincial government has established a commission of inquiry which will be looking into the cause of the fire.
It will also look into who or what is to blame for the prevalence of hijacked buildings in Gauteng.
This was communicated during a media briefing in Midrand on Wednesday.
When Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced he would be establishing a commission of inquiry into the Marshalltown fire, it was met with scepticism from the City of Johannesburg.
Johannesburg MMC for Community Safety, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, said the commission was a waste of money as it was clear what happened and what the solutions were.
However, Lesufi said the government needed to be guided by evidence and well-researched solutions, not hearsay.
“People who say we are wasting time must give us answers. One person died at Bree Street, there was no commission. Do you know what caused the death of that person? We don’t, even now, because there was no one investigating. Seventy-seven people died. Should we just leave it at that and say they died, it’s fine?”
Lesufi said the commission would begin their hearings on 1 October.
-EWN
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