GCRO contributes to public debate following Marshalltown fire

In the early hours of 31st August 2023, a fire engulfed all five floors of the Usindiso Building in Marshalltown, killing 77 people. In the week following the blaze, GCRO researchers participated in public debates about the circumstances that led to the disaster, and the ways in which the state and society should respond (See the list of our opinion pieces and media appearances below).

Since the building that burned was an informally occupied building, many public figures immediately called for the eradication of hijacked buildings. Some complained about the requirements – stipulated by the Constitutional Court – that no one may be evicted from occupied buildings without there being temporary emergency accommodation for them to go into. They argued that it was important to be able to evict occupants from such buildings more easily.

GCRO commentators argued against a rush to evict people from hijacked buildings as a solution to the problem, on a number of grounds. First, as past evictions in Johannesburg have shown, evictions can upend the lives of very vulnerable people, leaving them homeless, destroying their livelihoods and breaking their social support systems. Evictions may well be necessary in order to refurbish buildings, but – in terms of policy, the Constitution, and the importance of not compounding difficulties for vulnerable residents of the city – these can only take place if residents can be accommodated in temporary emergency accommodation.

Second, urging evictions as a solution ignores the underlying structural problems that create homelessness and precarious living circumstances in our cities. These structural factors include continued population and household growth (in part driven by migration), acute levels of unemployment and poverty, failings in the housing market, and one-size-fits-all public housing policies that do not fully take into account different needs. We argued that the public and private sector needs to work together to promote decent housing for all. They need to codesign and consistently implement housing and urban management plans that take account of the full complexity of the structural conditions at play, and not just focus on one symptom of the wider systemic problems.  

Third, the breakdown of fire safety is not limited to hijacked buildings. It is also evident in legally occupied buildings and informal settlements across the city. A broader response to the risk of fire is therefore required across all types of settlements. While the residents of occupied buildings await the implementation of comprehensive refurbishment of the buildings they live in, they should be trained on fire safety, and basic fire fighting equipment should be installed.

Opinion pieces: 

Ballard, R. (2023). 'Johannesburg fire disaster: why eradicating hijacked buildings is not the answer'. The Conversation. 2 September. Republished on News24 and TImeslive. https://theconversation.com/johannesburg-fire-disaster-why-eradicating-hijacked-buildings-is-not-the-answer-212732

Ballard, R (2023). 'Joburg fire awakens regressive and demonising slum clearance mindset' Business Day. 8 August. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2023-09-08-richard-ballard-fire-awakens-the-regressive-mindset-of-slum-clearance/

Interviews

The GCRO's Executive Director, Rashid Seedat, was cited in a Business Day article reporting on the fire in an inner city Johannesburg building 'Joburg inferno raises questions over city’s service delivery failures', 31 August 2023. Various staff contributed to the paragraphs submitted and cited. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2023-08-31-joburg-inferno-raises-questions-over-citys-service-delivery-failures/

Graeme Götz was interviewed by Stephen Grootes on population growth dynamics in Gauteng as context for the fire in an inner city Johannesburg building, 'Rapid growth of population in Joburg', Newzroom Afrika DStv channel 405, 31 August 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLxCOYat7Nc

Graeme Götz was intervieweded by Jeremy Maggs as part of his Moneyweb@Midday podcast on Moneyweb, 1 September 2023. https://www.moneyweb.co.za/category/moneyweb-podcasts/moneyweb-midday/

Graeme Götz was interviewed by Stephen Grootes as part of his Mediated Conversation on SAfm, 'Migration into our inner cities and how to manage it', SAfm, 4 September 2023. https://omny.fm/shows/safm-sunrise-1/mediated-conversation-migration-into-our-inner-cit?in_playlist=podcast

Graeme Götz was cited in an IN-DEPTH article on News24, 'IN-DEPTH | Joburg's migrant journey: 'It'll never stop, because it's about life and living'. https://www.news24.com/news24/opinions/fridaybriefing/in-depth-joburgs-migrant-journey-itll-never-stop-because-its-about-life-and-living-20230907

Richard Ballard was interviewed by Clement Manyathela. 10 September. Newzroom Africa 13:30

Richard Ballard was interviewed by Iman Pappetti on FullView, SABC 404 with Iman Rappetti. 5 September. https://youtu.be/tcwXP_seRgc?si=b7agPLYWPIesMNQ8

Richard Ballard was interviewed by Benito Vergotine for SmileFM. 5 September. https://broadcastmedia7.novusgroup.co.za/view/index.php?id=2000000000006815260&filename=Smile_90_4_FM_3b7bdc7d9541ec0747d27c240e733792.mp3&accountid=4943&server=novus