A fire that killed four toddlers in Johannesburg's Mayfair has exposed more than just the charred remains of a home - it has laid bare a crisis of neglect, overcrowding, and lawlessness.
As emergency crews pulled lifeless bodies from what neighbours describe as a makeshift crèche inside a hijacked house, the tragedy has sparked public outcry and forced city officials to confront the dangerous conditions many residents endure daily. From illegal electricity connections to cardboard-partitioned rooms packed with dozens of occupants, locals say the inferno was a disaster waiting to happen.
Neighbours have revealed prevailing issues in the area, including overcrowding of foreign nationals, illegal electricity connections, alleged drug trade, and hijacked houses, as they recall the tragic scenes as firefighters pulled lifeless bodies from the burnt wreckage of what was allegedly a cramped makeshift home for children.
In the aftermath of the fire, the MMC for Public Safety, Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, ordered an immediate shutdown of the property and further confirmed the scale of the crisis extends beyond neglectful landlords.
Tshwaku revealed that over one hundred undocumented foreigners reportedly occupy illegal dwellings in Mayfair, with property ownership complexities relating to deceased or absent landlords complicating enforcement actions.
“The house bypassed all by-laws, violated town planning regulations, and lacked basic safety compliance. The death of four innocent children is a tragic result of by-law non-compliance. We must dismantle criminal syndicates and restore order together,” he added.
Saturday, Star visited the house, which has since been shut down, and spoke with local residents who revealed most houses can be occupied by more than 30 people in a space that had been divided into multiple cardboard partitions, creating a hazardous environment ripe for tragedy.
An elderly resident, who preferred to remain anonymous for safety alongside other family members, voiced their disappointment over the transformation of the community since their arrival in the 1990s.
“From 1990 I was renting that two-bedroom house, so in 1993 we bought this house. And they hijack these houses. It is getting worse.”
“It is not even a crèche. It is her house; she takes care of 10 to 15 children in a small space because the house is divided into compartments. Everything is in one place. Remember the partitions are boards, which makes it prone to such tragic disasters. So these are the living conditions we are experiencing. I don't know when the last time we had peace here was. It has been over ten years, and it continues to be chaotic. The noise you are hearing now gets worse late. The kids are not going to school. You must come here late, around 17:00. You will see wonders.”
“One of them once told me this is a free country. Now you ask yourself as a resident, as a voter, what are you voting for because we are not enjoying this freedom? They are the ones enjoying this democracy. Is that even fair?”
Another resident who owns a shop shared the details – nearly – that the woman who looks after the children was not present when the fire broke out.
“Most parents, when they go to work, they leave their children with her. So she looks after them, but it is her house, not a crèche. On the Monday she had left the house when the fire broke out, and all neighbours came out.”
In the wake of this tragedy, CMR North, a child protection organisation, has called for heightened awareness regarding child safety as Child Protection Week approaches.
“At CMR North, every week is Child Protection Week. This week is an opportunity to focus national attention on the rights and safety of children—especially those most vulnerable. But this year, we do so with heavy hearts,” they expressed. “The recent Johannesburg fire, which claimed the lives of innocent children, reminds us that protection must extend beyond policy—into the real, lived environments where children sleep and grow.”
Robert Mulaudzi, the spokesperson for the City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services, confirmed the deaths; early investigations suggest a heating device may have sparked the fatal blaze.
“On arrival, the firefighters started conducting a firefighting operation. Unfortunately, there were about four bodies which were recovered. Their ages are believed to be two and below.”
As police reveal that the investigations continue, the City of Johannesburg has expressed alarm over a rising trend of fire-related incidents, revealing the dangers that lurk as the colder winter season approaches.
Residents are urged to take extra precautions as emergency services remain vigilant in their responses to such tragic occurrences.
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za