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According to Johannesburg City Manager Floyd Brink, they plan to collaborate with the National Heritage Council of South Africa to determine the course of action for the downtown building devastated by a deadly fire last week.
The fire, which tragically claimed the lives of over 70 individuals, including 12 children, engulfed a five-story city-owned structure that had been taken over by unlawful occupants.
Notably, this building, constructed in 1954, once served as the Central Pass Office during the apartheid era, where passes were issued.
Regarding the building’s eventual fate, Brink has stated that the structure holds historical significance for both the city and the nation.
“We will be working with the heritage council as well. Already from our side we had our structural engineers in that closed the building and sealed the building for us. But it’s still early stages for us to indicate what will be happening to the building.
“But as the mayor indicated, we need to really relook at it, what it is that we can do still to somehow preserve it, but I guess that’s where the heritage council will be clear in terms of processes going forward,” said Brink.
Simultaneously, Brink mentioned that an inquiry commission, currently investigating the tragic fire in Marshalltown from last week, would offer insights into addressing the problem of hijacked buildings.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has established this inquiry commission to delve into the fire’s causes and determine accountability.
Brink noted that the results of the investigation would hinge on the yet-to-be-finalized terms of reference.
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