2023 Johannesburg building fire

For 31 August 2023 at around 01:30 SAST, fire engulf illegally abandoned building wey dem occupy for Johannesburg, South Africa insyd; dem kill 77 people wey 88 odas injure. Ebe one of de deadliest fires for South African history insyd.

## De building
De building, 80 Albert Street, dem build am for 1954 insyd as de head office of Johannesburg ein Non-European Affairs Department, wey dey serve as Pass Office make dem enforce pass laws dey control de movement of black people wey dey go Johannesburg under de apartheid system. From 1994, de building house women dema shelter later dem dey bell am de Usindiso Women's Shelter. For 2019 insyd, de member of de Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Health and Social Development relocate clinic dem house for de building insyd, Mpho Phalatse, as squatters occupy de building wey dem found am say ebe unsafe. Dem mark de building plus heritage plaque wey dey narrate ein history.

## Fire
De fire break out for de early hours for de morning for 31 August 2023, for de Central Business District insyd, five-storey building dem abandon for de corner of Delvers den Albert Streets wey de city government dey own wey gangs take ova. Na as many as 400 impoverished people dey illegally occupy am— chaw be foreign nationals, economic migrants, den asylum seekers—de gangs dey charge all of rent. Dem currently no know de cause of de fire. E spread thru de building, trap chaw people secof flimsy partitions den gates between makeshift rooms wey residents construct.

Chaw residents jump from de windows of de building make dem escape, sam no survive de jump. Firefighters find bodies pile up wer dem die for gate dem lock for de ground floor while make dem try exit de building wey dey burn.

## Aftermath
De fire bring attention to de hundreds of buildings dem hijack for de Johannesburg CBD insyd, typically overcrowded den unregulated den impoverished den marginalised people inhabit wey dey include large number of undocumented migrants go South Africa ein economic hub of Johannesburg.

Sam residents wey survive de fire refuse make dem board buses for relocation go emergency accommodation for community insyd dey hail after de fire, dem dey fear officials go use de relocation as excuse for deportation, wey dem be unwilling make dem leave behind de remains of dema possessions for de burnt building insyd.

## Response
Presido Cyril Ramaphosa visit de site of de tragedy for 31 August, wey he call am "wake-up call". Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announce inquiry into de fire. While government officials blame de crises for NGOs dema top, wey prevent de previous attempts make dem evict occuiers from similar properties. NGOs den inner city property owners argue say ebe de duty of de City of Johannesburg make e maintain buildings, provide services den enforce safety regulations. South Africa ein courts consistently rule say dem no fi proceed evictions unless dem provide alternative housing under de provisions of de 1998 Prevention of Illegal Eviction Act. Dey follow de fire, de City attempt make dem disconnect illegal electricity connections from similar buildings dem hijack for de city insyd, buh dem meet plus strong resistance from residents.

## References