By Johnathan Paoli
In the wake of a fire that claimed six lives in the Marikana informal settlement in Boksburg, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has called on provincial and local governments to urgently prioritise the upgrading of informal settlements across the country.
Six family members lost their lives in the blaze, underscoring the extreme vulnerability of millions of South Africans living in precarious housing conditions.
“The unfortunate incidents in our informal settlements are a clear sign that we should accelerate and invest in the upgrading of informal settlements and commit to finishing all the stalled projects around the country.
“This will enable qualifying beneficiaries to have access to decent shelter, prevent loss of life and improve the quality of household life,” Simelane said in a statement on Monday.
The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Monday morning, destroyed multiple makeshift homes in the densely populated settlement in Ekurhuleni.
The department has reported a surge in disasters affecting informal settlements over the past month, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
Fires, flooding and other environmental hazards have wreaked havoc in communities with limited access to proper infrastructure and emergency services.
According to the minister, the department was committed to upgrading over 4000 informal settlements as part of its 2024-2029 Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP).
It aims to improve living conditions, reduce disaster risks and expand access to basic services like water, sanitation and electricity.
In addition to the MTDP target, Simelane reaffirmed her department’s commitment to completing 271 blocked Breaking New Ground housing projects and nine distressed social housing developments that have stalled in recent years.
These unfinished projects represent thousands of homes that remain out of reach for qualifying beneficiaries, despite the urgent need.
The minister emphasised the critical need for collaboration among all stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society and communities themselves in addressing the country’s housing crisis.
In response to the Marikana fire, the department has activated its Emergency Housing Unit, which handles disaster response.
Simelane has instructed the unit to work closely with its Gauteng counterpart and the Ekurhuleni metro to provide immediate relief and support to the affected households.
Relief efforts are expected to include the provision of temporary shelter, food parcels and psychological support for survivors and families of the deceased.
Local officials are currently assessing the damage and identifying those in need of urgent assistance.
The department confirmed that an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the fire and called on communities to report hazards and work with authorities to improve safety in high-risk areas.
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