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The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements and municipalities are failing in their mandate when it comes to keeping track of abandoned and hijacked buildings.

This was once again highlighted today when a fire broke out at an alleged hijacked building in Albert Street, Marshalltown. It is believed that this building was hijacked and that a number of people were living in this building.

At least 74 people have died and at least 40 people have been injured. The injured have been taken to Helen Joseph Hospital.

This is a catastrophe waiting to happen and if nothing is done more lives will be lost. The reality of is that many of these abandoned buildings are controlled by gangs who rent out the space. This leads to overcrowding, there are no toilets, no electricity and no water.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is demanding that the MEC for Human Settlements, Lebogang Maile along with his counterpart, the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Mzi Khumalo and National Government to urgently do an audit of all the abandoned buildings in the province.

Furthermore, the DA is calling for a forensic audit to be conducted as it is clear that the City of Joburg has failed to clamp down on abandoned buildings being illegally occupied. Measures need to be put in place urgently to ensure that we do not have another disaster like this one, where a number of lives are lost.

Issued by Mervyn Cirota MPL - DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements