Eyewitnesses say that they observed people rushing into the burning buildings to salvage matrasses and other personal belongings, before the fire completely destroyed the buildings.

Mr Mnikwa Didiza was killed when a wall of one of the buildings collapsed on the Chevrolet bakkie he was seated in, during the explosion. He thanked rescuers rushing to extract him from the vehicle before the fire became so intense, that rescuers had to abandon the rescue operation.

The practice of residing in business premises is especially prominent under foreign business owners. Residents often complain about foul smells in CBD buildings where food is prepared and cooked.

With the ongoing municipal strike, there’s also no officials on the ground monitoring bylaws prohibiting business owners from living inside their businesses, and preparing food.

Its a huge problem throughout the CBD where a woman recently even gave birth inside a business premises.

Municipal Manager, Advocate Bheki Khenisa, warned that the problematic building bylaw allows the municipality to shut down any business occupied after business hours.

“Residents see things, they smell things, and they must report these businesses so that the municipality can act decisively,” Mr Khenisa says. He added that law enforcement do conduct sporadic checks on businesses to enforce the bylaw.

The so called “slum-bylaw” also allows the municipality to shut down unmaintained and dangerous buildings.

“Many businesses are fire hazards, and if the fire spreads, the damage could be immense, as we saw last Friday,” Mr Khenisa says.

He urged business owners to adhere to the bylaw, thereby protecting not only their own lives, but their livelihoods too.