Gauteng MEC Mbali Hlophe says they will relocate fire victims to a safe place

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

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

Published Aug 31, 2023

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Gauteng MEC of Social Development, Mbali Hlophe says they have identified three buildings in Johannesburg that can be used to accommodate people who were affected by the fire in Marshalltown.

Hlophe said she will work closely with MEC of Human Settlements, Lebogang Maile on the matter.

She said they will be providing victims of the fire with warm meals, blankets and other forms of assistance.

The fire left dozens of people dead and others in hospital.

Hlophe visited the three buildings that were identified to possibly accommodate the victims of the blaze.

Senior Gauteng officials were on the scene on Thursday after the inferno swept through the derelict and hijacked building.

Hlophe said her department will playing a leading role in ensuring that the people were looked after.

“As we stand here today, we have come through as both local and provincial government to offer our assistance. I am here with the MEC for Human Settlements, who is working with the department, as it pertains to the infrastructure issues and how they are going to relocate the individuals.

“Our department will be responsible for the aid that we are going to provide for the survivors. As we speak, we are working with the City to deal with the relocation for those that were in the building and how we move them to a safe space. There are three buildings that are available and the City is finalising on where they will ultimately be moved to.

“In the meantime, they will be taken to a community centre and that is where we will be able to provide the warm meals, the blankets and various other forms of assistance that we can be able to give them,” said Hlophe.

Emergency services and other departments were expected to work until the weekend as they try to clear the scene and provide various forms of support to victims.