Sunnyside fire prompts call for safe social housing
The metro is investigating the cause of the blaze and calling on residents to avoid illegally occupied buildings, highlighting hazards and urgent need for affordable housing.
Following a building fire in Sunnyside this past weekend, which claimed two lives, the metro has reiterated its position on the importance of building affordable social housing in the inner city.
MMC for Corporate and Shared Services and Chairperson of the Bad Buildings mayoral sub-committee Kholofelo Morodi maintained this stance during a site visit to the damaged De Williershof residential building.
Morodi said the fire serves as an example of the dangers that illegally occupied buildings can cause.
“This is one of the hijacked buildings in the city, and I wanted to firstly send my condolences to the families of the residents who lost their lives.
“We also want to urge our residents to be vigilant of hijacked buildings and encourage them not to occupy abandoned buildings. If you are aware of people occupying properties illegally, please let us know,” Morodi said.
“This is a serious danger and a health hazard. We have noticed that children are living here, and it’s unfortunate. We understand that there’s a serious need for affordable accommodation in the city, but we plead with residents not to fall prey to people who are hijacking these buildings and charging rates to the occupants,” she said.
Morodi also said that the building belongs to the province, and the metro will be further engaging with the relevant officials to pave the way forward.
She said no community should live in such unsafe hijacked spaces and that they are intensifying action to reclaim and repurpose these buildings.
MMC for Community Safety Hannes Coetzee said the metro cannot yet give the reasons for the fire, as the forensic investigations are currently being carried out.
“If you look at the conditions, even with the sewer at the back, the OHS (Occupational Health and Safety) compliance is at zero. We even found an empty gas bottle where, if there had been any gas in it, it could have exploded and caused more damage,” Coetzee said.
“We call on the province to assist us with this, station security guards, and conduct a proper investigation into the building. We cannot allow our people, especially in our own country, to live in situations like this. We need to make sure this is dealt with in the proper manner,” he said.
On September 14, the Emergency Command Centre received a structural fire call just after 04:00.
Firefighters from Central and Hatfield fire stations found the De Williershof residential building (block one basement) engulfed with flames, and started fighting the blaze.
Before this, the initial structural fire incident was reported to the Emergency Services Department at 01:15 at the same building, but regarding block two. Seven rooms on the ground floor were burned, but fortunately, no casualties were reported.
On arrival at block one, the firefighting crew started with search and rescue, as the residents could not confirm if everyone had managed to evacuate.
An inner-city building blackened by a fire with broken windows, decayed foundation and dead trees.
Two bodies were discovered in the basement, where the residents have converted the basement into a residential area with board divisions. The two people died of smoke inhalation, as they could not evacuate the basement.
The Emergency Services Department’s Fire Safety officers will conduct preliminary investigations to determine the cause of the fire.
To report any fire or rescue incident by calling 107 from a cellphone toll-free or calling 012 358 6300/6400 from any telephone.
ActionSA MMC Corporate & Shared Services @kholofeloMorodi & MMC CommunitySafety @Rambohannes are on-site to assess the extent of damage at De Williershof residential building (Block1 basement) after it was engulfed with flames at 01:15AM this morning. https://t.co/Qlre35yhza pic.twitter.com/Th1tXLvgRP
— ActionSA Tshwane Caucus (@ActionSATshwane) September 14, 2025
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