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Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements MEC Tasneem Motara's failure to decisively act on incorporating all hostels in the province, including Madala Hostel in Alexandra, into the Provincial Hostel Redevelopment Programme, which would convert them into habitable family units, has resulted in yet another tragic incident.

Yesterday, a fire erupted on the upper floor of the four-storey Madala Hostel. The Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) responded quickly and managed to contain the blaze before it could reach the lower levels. Thankfully, there were no injuries; however, the entire top floor was destroyed. The cause of the fire remains unknown, but claims suggest it emerged from a gas stove.

This incident was unfortunately bound to happen, as poor and unsafe living conditions have long plagued the Madala Hostel, compounded by the complete lack of fire safety protocols to protect residents in the event of an emergency.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has consistently highlighted the inhumane conditions at this hostel and appealed to the Gauteng Provincial Government to incorporate it into the Hostel Redevelopment Programme so it can receive the necessary upgrades it urgently needs. However, Premier Lesufi has dismissed our calls, claiming that the hostel is under the control of the City of Johannesburg (COJ), not the provincial government.

Since yesterday’s incident was a lucky escape with no injuries incurred, we have to ask: Are Premier Lesufi and MEC Motara waiting for a disaster of epic proportions before finally incorporating Madala Hostel into the Hostel Redevelopment Programme? And why is MEC Motara today inspecting inner-city hostels through her "Siyeza Nakuwe" initiative, instead of first visiting Madala following the fire.

The DA demands the immediate inclusion of Madala Hostel into the Hostel Redevelopment Programme to address the appalling living conditions endured by residents for many years. Premier Lesufi’s government must stop shifting blame and take the lead in resolving this matter. The time for making empty promises to hostel residents to score cheap political points without meaningfully improving their lives is over.

The DA will table a motion in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to force the Gauteng Provincial Government to incorporate all 65 hostels in the Provincial Hostel Redevelopment Programme to be converted into family units.

A caring DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would have implemented this programme to ensure that hostel residents, like other citizens of our province, have access to safe and dignified housing with all the basic services such as electricity, water, and proper sanitation.

Issued by Mervyn Cirota MPL - DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements