Joburg building hit by deadly fire ‘has no owner’
Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda has confirmed the hijacked building that has become the scene of the latest CBD fire does not have an official owner.
Sunday’s blaze left two people dead and four others injured.
The city has gone to the courts in a bid to curb the growing number of abandoned and hazardous buildings that have been illegally occupied.
According to Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, of the 188 cases of bad buildings identified by the city's forensics unit, 144 are in the inner city.
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However, Gwamanda said this particular building has no owner.
"There's a court case in relation to an eviction order. However, the case was thrown out of court on the basis that the alleged building owners could not provide sufficient information that proves that they indeed own the building.”
The mayor said of the 11 court cases to challenge illegal occupancy the city has won nine so far.
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