JOHANNESBURG – Two years after the tragic Usindiso building fire that claimed the lives of 76 people and displaced dozens more, survivors and civil society groups are still waiting for justice, accountability, and adequate compensation. The fire, which broke out in August 2023 at the Usindiso building in the heart of Johannesburg’s Marshalltown district, remains one of South Africa’s deadliest residential fires in recent history.
The abandoned five-storey building, owned by the City of Johannesburg, had long been illegally occupied, primarily by undocumented foreign nationals. Many of the residents lived in overcrowded, hazardous conditions with no access to basic services like electricity, running water, or emergency exits.
The fire shocked the nation, but despite widespread outrage and a formal inquiry, no one has yet been held criminally responsible for the disaster.
No Justice for Victims of the Usindiso Building Fire
In the aftermath of the Usindiso building fire, the South African government launched a commission of inquiry, led by retired Justice Sisi Khampepe. The final report, released in late 2023, delivered a scathing indictment of the City of Johannesburg’s failure to maintain and secure the property.
According to the findings, the fire could have been prevented or significantly mitigated had the city fulfilled its legal obligations as the owner of the building. The commission concluded that the city was grossly negligent in allowing the building to fall into the hands of slumlords and criminal syndicates, creating a breeding ground for tragedy.
Despite the report’s recommendations, including calls for improved housing oversight and criminal investigations, no arrests or prosecutions have followed, leaving survivors frustrated and disillusioned.
On Sunday, the Usindiso Community Forum and the Marshalltown Fire Justice Campaign held a memorial event near the site of the burned building. The gathering, marked by solemn tributes and impassioned speeches, was both a moment of remembrance and a call to action.
Campaign coordinator Mametlwe Sebei said that two years on, the lack of accountability is inexcusable.
“The survivors need to rebuild their lives. The families of those who perished need to be compensated for the loss of their loved ones, especially those who lost breadwinners. Every form of loss and damage that resulted from the fire must be acknowledged and remedied.”
Sebei added that the survivors continue to live in temporary shelters or unsafe housing across Johannesburg, with no long-term housing plan offered by the city. Many also lack proper documentation, making it difficult for them to access government support or services.
The Usindiso building fire has become a tragic symbol of Johannesburg’s broader urban housing crisis. With a growing number of derelict and hijacked buildings across the inner city, thousands of vulnerable people—many of them foreign nationals or economically displaced South Africans—live in life-threatening conditions.
Urban planning experts and human rights organisations have long warned about the risks posed by these unmanaged structures. According to a recent estimate, there are over 600 illegally occupied buildings in Johannesburg alone, many of which are fire hazards.
“The city has failed to enforce building safety standards, and the national government has failed to provide sufficient affordable housing,” said housing rights advocate Lerato Mokoena. “The result is that people are dying in buildings that were meant to be temporary shelters or social housing projects, like Usindiso once was.”
Originally opened as a shelter for abused women and children, the Usindiso building had gradually deteriorated into an unmanaged and overcrowded space, neglected by its owner and forgotten by city planners.
As the memorial candles flickered on Sunday night, one question hung in the air: Why has no one been held responsible for the Usindiso building fire?
Despite clear findings of liability, no city official, agency, or criminal syndicate has faced prosecution. Survivors, many of whom still suffer from physical injuries, trauma, and displacement, feel abandoned by the very system meant to protect them.
“We come here every year, and still nothing has changed,” said Mary*, a survivor who lost her husband and two children in the fire. “We don’t want more speeches. We want justice.”
(*Name changed for anonymity.)
The City of Johannesburg has remained largely silent in recent months on the status of the recommendations from the Khampepe inquiry, and no new updates have been provided regarding compensation or future legal steps.
The Usindiso building fire was more than a tragic accident—it was a disaster rooted in systemic neglect, failed governance, and urban inequality. Two years later, the lack of accountability underscores a growing distrust in institutions and highlights the urgent need for reform in urban housing management.
As survivors and civil society continue to push for justice, their message remains clear: Never again should vulnerable lives be left to burn in the cracks of a broken system.
Source- EWN
