The Dark Underbelly of Johannesburg: The Tragic Tale of Hijacked Buildings and Lost Lives

The clock struck midnight, and Johannesburg was engulfed in a tragedy that laid bare the city’s housing crisis. A fire broke out in a five-storey apartment block, known as a “hijacked building,” claiming the lives of over 70 people. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the city’s ongoing struggle with illegal housing and criminal syndicates.

What Are Hijacked Buildings?

The term “hijacked buildings” gained prominence post-apartheid in 1994.

• As businesses migrated from Johannesburg’s inner city to affluent suburbs, a housing crisis unfolded.
• Criminal syndicates seized this opportunity to occupy vacant buildings and rent them out illegally.
• Angela Rivers, the general manager at Johannesburg Property Owners and Managers Association, states that these buildings often have fraudulent title deeds, convincing tenants of the criminals’ ownership.

The Magnitude of the Crisis

The housing issue in Johannesburg is not to be underestimated. At least 1.2 million people in Gauteng province are homeless. Rivers is aware of 57 such hijacked buildings in the Central Business District alone.

• These buildings are often in a dilapidated state, lacking basic amenities like running water and electricity.
• Many occupants earn less than 3,500 rand ($190) a month, making them vulnerable to such living conditions.

The Building That Caught Fire

The building that was engulfed in flames was owned by the city of Johannesburg.

• Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda revealed that it was initially leased to a charity but ended up serving a “different purpose,” without elaborating further.
• This tragedy is a manifestation of the city’s failure to address the housing needs of its less fortunate residents.

What’s Being Done?

Lebogang Isaac Maile, the head of the Human Settlements department for Gauteng province, identified 23 hijacked buildings in need of development. However, he did not provide a concrete plan to tackle this issue, leaving the city’s residents in a state of uncertainty.

As Johannesburg grapples with this multifaceted crisis, one must ask:

What are the root causes of such tragedies, and how can they be effectively addressed? Is the city doing enough to protect its vulnerable populations? We invite our readers to share their insights and experiences on this pressing issue.

The fire may have been extinguished, but the embers of this crisis continue to smolder. It is high time for Johannesburg to confront the dark underbelly of its housing issue before more lives are lost.