In the wake of the fire that gutted the Usindiso Building in Marshalltown, the City of Johannesburg Department of Public Safety believes that the funds for a proposed commission of inquiry could be better used to urgently upgrade the skills and technology of the city’s Metro Police to intensify the fight against crime.

Last week, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi indicated that he would launch an inquiry into the deadly fire where more than 70 people died, including 12 children. The idea was widely criticised by political parties.  

Retired Constitutional Court Judge Sisi Khampepe will chair the commission.

“The issue is not mysterious or unknown. It’s the presence of hijacked buildings that serve as a tinderbox for such calamities. These structures are disasters waiting to happen. The situation is aggravated by well-coordinated criminal syndicates that financially benefit from these hijacked buildings. They collect rent in cash, with no record or accountability, making these locations not just dangerous living environments but also fertile grounds for other financial crimes like money laundering and tax evasion,” the City said.

It added that past experience had shown that commissions of inquiry take months, if not years, to conclude, with many yielding no results and “only masking inaction”.

It has called for immediate action and called on the Gauteng government to join in the fight against crime and lawlessness in the city.

“We are committed to facing this crisis head-on,” the City of Johannesburg said.