News24 | Usindiso fire: Inquiry finds City of Johannesburg responsible for tragedy that claimed 76 lives

A temporary barricade to keep people out of the Usindiso building after it was gutted by a fire that claimed 76 lives. (Ditiro Selepe/News24)

A temporary barricade to keep people out of the Usindiso building after it was gutted by a fire that claimed 76 lives. (Ditiro Selepe/News24)

The commission of inquiry into a devastating fire at the Usindiso building in Marshalltown last August, which claimed 76 lives, found the City of Johannesburg responsible – and recommended that its entity, the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC), be held accountable.

Twelve children were among those killed in the fire, which also left 86 other people injured.

On Sunday, Justice Sisi Khampepe handed the first part of her report into the tragedy to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi.

South Africans need to be in the know if we want to create a prosperous future. News24 has kept the country informed for 25 years, and we’re about to enter a new chapter of fearless journalism. Join our free subscription trial to unlock this story and a world of news aimed to inform, empower, and inspire.