Two Years On: Usindiso Fire Victims Remembered Amid Calls for Justice
Viable News Team 
By [Viable Media]
Johannesburg – The haunting memories of the Usindiso building fire returned to the fore this weekend as survivors, families of victims, and activists gathered in Marshalltown to mark the second anniversary of one of South Africa’s deadliest inner-city tragedies.
On 31 August 2023, flames ripped through the five-storey Usindiso building, once a women’s shelter but later turned into a hijacked residence. The blaze claimed 77 lives, including 12 children, and left dozens of others injured and destitute. Today, two years later, survivors say their wounds both emotional and material remain open.
“It’s Very Difficult, It’s Very Painful”At the heart of Sunday’s commemoration were the voices of survivors like Mike Ngulube, who recounted the devastating toll the fire has taken on his life.
“I don’t have a place to stay. After this accident happened, I lost my wife and my daughter. I was in ICU for 2-3 weeks. When I came out, I found out my daughter’s body had been given to the wrong family. We tried to trace it, we found it, but the forensics didn’t take any action… to me it’s very difficult, it’s very painful,” Ngulube said, his voice heavy with grief.
His story echoes the wider pain carried by dozens of families who not only lost loved ones but also battled bureaucratic failures, delayed identifications, and years of unanswered questions.
Justice Delayed, Justice DeniedThe anniversary gathering, held at the site of the tragedy, was themed “Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied.” Activists, faith leaders, and legal representatives stood side by side with survivors, demanding accountability from the City of Johannesburg and national authorities.
The Khampepe Commission of Inquiry, which concluded its work earlier this year, found the City of Johannesburg liable for the fire, citing negligence in maintaining safe conditions and its failure to act against hijacked buildings in the CBD.
Yet despite the commission’s findings, families argue that little progress has been made in holding officials accountable or compensating survivors.
“Two years on, survivors are still in limbo without proper housing, support, or closure. The state has failed them,” said a representative from the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI), which continues to advocate for the affected families.
Remembering the 77
At the commemoration, candles were lit and names read aloud in remembrance of the 77 lives lost. Mothers clutched photographs of their children, while children who survived the fire held hands, some too young to fully grasp the scale of what they endured.
The site itself remains a stark reminder: the burned-out shell of the Usindiso building looms over Marshalltown, a physical testament to neglect, poverty, and displacement in South Africa’s inner cities.
A Broader Housing Crisis
The fire has also reignited broader conversations about Johannesburg’s housing crisis and the dangers of “hijacked” inner-city buildings, where desperate families often live in overcrowded and unsafe conditions.
Housing activists argue that without systemic change, another Usindiso disaster is inevitable. “This was not just an accident it was the result of policy failures and years of neglect. Until the city priorities dignified housing, we will continue to mourn tragedies like this,” said one activist at the memorial.
A Nation’s Unhealed WoundFor South Africa, the Usindiso fire stands as a national scar. It highlighted the intersection of poverty, migration, governance failure, and systemic inequality in the country’s largest city.
Yet for survivors like Ngulube, the tragedy is not a distant lesson it is a daily reality. The struggle to rebuild lives, secure justice, and honour the dead remains an uphill battle.
“We are still waiting for justice,” said another survivor quietly at the ceremony. “Until then, our pain continues.”
What Comes Next
Families and activists have vowed to continue pressuring the City of Johannesburg and national government to implement the Khampepe Commission’s recommendations and to provide meaningful redress for those affected.
For now, though, the anniversary is about remembrance. A moment to honour the 77 souls lost, to console those who survived, and to remind South Africa of the cost of forgetting.
As the sun set over Marshalltown on Sunday evening, the chant carried through the crowd: “Justice for Usindiso.”
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