Simelane urges urgent action on informal settlement following blaze

By Johnathan Paoli

In the wake of a fire that claimed six lives in the Marikana informal settlement in Boksburg, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has called on provincial and local governments to urgently prioritise the upgrading of informal settlements across the country.

Six family members lost their lives in the blaze, underscoring the extreme vulnerability of millions of South Africans living in precarious housing conditions.

“The unfortunate incidents in our informal settlements are a clear sign that we should accelerate and invest in the upgrading of informal settlements and commit to finishing all the stalled projects around the country.

“This will enable qualifying beneficiaries to have access to decent shelter, prevent loss of life and improve the quality of household life,” Simelane said in a statement on Monday.

The fire, which broke out in the early hours of Monday morning, destroyed multiple makeshift homes in the densely populated settlement