Johnathan Paoli
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has officially accepted the recommendations of the commission investigating the deadly fire at the Usindiso building in Marshalltown, Johannesburg which claimed the lives of 77 people saying he was proud of the work done by the commission.
Panyaza said over the weekend that the provincial government has accepted the recommendations and would work with the leadership of the metropolitans in relation to implementation.
“I think they would need time to study the report and on the basis of that we’ll establish a joint implementation committee,” Lesufi said.
The Usindiso Commission, led by former Justice Sisi Khampepe, investigated the tragic fire at the building which occurred in August last year and claimed 77 lives.
The commission’s findings, which were made public, concluded that the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) were partly responsible for the incident.
The report found that the CoJ and JPC failed to adhere to public health by-laws; and there was an accumulation of waste, unhygienic conditions, overcrowding, and a lack of sufficient portable water supply; in clear violation of the public health by-laws.
In addition, the report found that the building showed signs of disrepair and posed a danger, which should have led to its demolition in terms of section 12 of the Building Standards Act.
The commission found that the city did not perform necessary repairs and maintenance, which led to the building’s serious deterioration.
The first part of the commission’s report has been completed, with the second part set to commence in July and be completed by the end of August.
The findings have raised serious concerns about the enforcement of city by-laws and the maintenance of buildings in Johannesburg.
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