Morero: Abandonded CBD buildings to be given to young entrepreneurs

This comes after the deaths of four people in a fire that broke out at an abandoned building in Jeppestown in the Johannesburg CBD on Sunday morning.

In August 2023, 77 people died during a devastating fire at the Usindiso building in Marshalltown.

Speaking to the media outside the Jeppestown building, Morero said all those left displaced by the fire will be moved to a safe area.    

“The intention is to move them to a safer place, process them, register them, profile them and understand the type of population it is. So that we can know what the next course of action is.

“You shouldn’t think that this is just a simple solution; there are a lot of syndicates involved. You need law enforcement agencies to help you investigate. The city alone does not have the necessary capacity to deal with this thing.

“But there is a strategy that the team has worked on in the last two months, which they will present to us in the next two weeks on the basis of what they have done. So that when we pounce, we pounce and ensure that this thing never comes back.”

Morero said the regeneration of the buildings will also help tackle unemployment and crime in the inner city.

“This is also about resources that we must mobilise through the national government and other institutions like the PIC to see how they can support young people. There is a principle already, we are going to take these buildings, some we will expropriate immediately and hand over to young entrepreneurs to turn them into residential space and commercial spaces. So, that decision is there, it’s just a matter of the process in which we are going to implement the decision.

“By law, we are required to keep the safety of all those that are affected, and then we take them to the right places and profile them. On the basis of those who are undocumented, it’s a matter that we hand over to the Department of Home Affairs.”

Morero also called on law enforcement to put more boots on the ground.

“A lot of criminal activity was taking place in this building because they saw a lot of different groups going out with bags with artillery, serious guns from the building. It’s something that law enforcement agencies need to come help and bring strong raids inside these buildings.

“We believe that if the resources within the SAPS are channelled correctly and we can partner with our JMPD building control and inspectors, we may be able to make a dent in as far as this matter is concerned, but should it not yield any results in the next six months, then we should go request the national government to intervene,” added Morero.

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