Johanesburg's Usindiso fire survivors living in unsafe shacks in South Africa
BBC NewsJan 25
South Africa: Suspect Arrested for Deadly Building Fire
The Facts
On Wednesday, police announced that they arrested a man in connection with a fire that killed over 70 people in an illegally occupied building in Marshalltown, central Johannesburg, last year. The blaze was one of the world's deadliest building fires in recent years.
The 29-year-old man was arrested after he confessed his involvement to the Commission of Inquiry according to Gauteng Provincial Police, which includes Johannesburg. The suspect will soon face trial on charges of arson, over 70 counts of murder, and 120 counts of attempted murder.
The Spin
Narrative A
The disaster is a depressing reminder of South Africa's profound political and social problems. Since the 2000s, buildings in cities like Johannesburg have been hijacked by gangs and drug dealers keeping homeless people in inhumane conditions, while the authorities either lack the resources or are too incompetent to do anything about it. Meanwhile, basic safety regulations are blatantly disregarded in hundreds of buildings that are left to decay. Safety and human lives are no priority in South Africa and it's only a matter of time before another tragedy strikes.
Narrative B
The deadly fire was a tragic incident and undoubtedly serves as a wake-up call for South Africa to redouble its efforts to tackle the issue of safe housing, stop the decay of inner cities, and revitalize urban areas. Municipal authorities need to apply regulatory and legal provisions to protect human life or will be held accountable. Moreover, additional steps will be taken to prevent migrants who are legally in the country from being exploited by criminals and to regulate illegal migration. South Africa will rise to these challenges on its way to a prosperous future.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance, that the ANC will receive more than 50% of the vote in the 2024 South African general election, according to the Metaculus prediction community.