The police said a 29-year-old had confessed to starting the August fire that tore through a derelict, overcrowded building occupied by poor people.
Tag: Johannesburg (South Africa)
This Building Was Deemed ‘Outright Inhumane.’ But They Say It’s Home.
Residents of a Johannesburg building know it is every bit as dangerous as one that burned in August, killing 77. But it’s a home, one they might not otherwise have, and a place to pursue their dreams and aspirations.
Deadly Johannesburg Fire Exposed Years of Neglect
Officials blame immigrants and liberal housing laws, but a Times investigation found the entrenched problems that turned downtown Johannesburg into a blighted tinderbox.
Deadly Fire in Africa’s Richest City Exposed a Secret in Plain Sight
Officials blame immigrants and liberal housing laws, but a Times investigation found the entrenched problems that turned downtown Johannesburg into a blighted tinderbox.
‘More Than Just Rugby’: Championship Generates Harmony in South Africa
South Africans are savoring a second consecutive World Cup victory, producing a racial unity that even Hollywood couldn’t make up and an escape from the country’s troubles.
Portraits of Fire Victims: Two Toddlers Named ‘Memory,’ and a Teacher About to Wed
A picture is emerging of some of the 77 people who died when the derelict building in Johannesburg where they were living went up in flames on Aug. 31.
After South African Fire, Migrants Fear a Violent Backlash
Some survivors have been detained by the police, while politicians have lashed out at the newcomers as scapegoats for intractable problems like crime, joblessness and a housing shortage.
Officials Knew of Problems at Building That Caught Fire in South Africa
An extensive paper trail reveals that the authorities in Johannesburg were warned repeatedly about the dangers in the derelict building where 76 people died in a fire this week.
Officials in South Africa Knew About the Problems at a ‘Bad Building,’ but Did Nothing
An extensive paper trail reveals that the authorities in Johannesburg knew about the litany of dangers in the derelict building where 76 people died in a fire this week.
Filthy Toilets, No Showers and Criminal Landlords: Life in a South African Firetrap
After harrowing escapes from the apartment fire in Johannesburg that killed at least 74 people, residents described how they managed to build lives with no legal water or electricity, and very little privacy.