City of Joburg ‘prepared to meet Marshalltown fire victims halfway’ after court order

City of Joburg ‘prepared to meet Marshalltown fire victims halfway’ after court order

The City of Joburg says it is prepared to meet the more than 200 victims of the Marshalltown fire halfway in order to comply with the recent court judgement ordering it to improve the living conditions of the victims of the fire.

This week, the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, gave the municipality three months to improve the living conditions of the Marshalltown fire victims.

The High Court issued an order, instructing the city to install prepaid electricity meters, standpipes and additional ablution facilities on the site within 90 days .

The legal team representing the Marshalltown fire victims slammed the city, saying it is unfair that it has subjected these victims to poor living conditions.

A fire in a 4-story apartment building in the heart of Joburg has claimed over 70 lives and more then 40 injured. Picture: Timothy Bernard / African news Agency (ANA)

This is after more than 200 of these victims who were displaced when a fire gutted a five-storey Usindiso Building in the CBD, killing 77 people, have been housed on a piece of land where the city has built structures made of corrugated iron.

Charles Cilliers, representing the city, told Newzroom Afrika that the city is prepared to comply with the recent court judgement.

“If you read the order that was handed down, it actually says the judgement is by agreement between the parties. The city has agreed to do this and therefore, there can’t be an appeal.”

Cilliers said even though the city is willing to help and comply with the judgement, it is impossible to do everything as it has limited resources at its disposal.

Some of the victims have complained of food, poor living conditions and other social issues affecting them.

“It is fair to say that as a government we simply can’t do everything. We have never said that we can. We have limited resources. That building was hijacked as you know and it is horrific what happened there… we need all the help we can get and we are operating with limited resources to try and deal with the aftermath of that tragedy,” he said.

The commission of inquiry looking into the deadly Marshalltown fire has indicated that it is not aware that some prospective witnesses will soon be deported.

It has been reported that at least 32 undocumented migrants who stayed in the building are detained at the Lindela Repatriation Centre, pending the outcome of a legal battle to stop them from being deported.

The Star

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