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Housing shortage: Several buildings in the central district of Johannesburg are occupied by a large number of people who live in substandard conditions. Photo: Marco Longari/Getty Images

Joburg fire: Housing policy fails people – and the economy

The country’s biggest city will continue to grow as people seek jobs and a better life. But a ‘resentment’ towards urbanisation has prevented the government from unlocking its…

80 Albert Street in Marshalltown caught fire last year and claimed the lives of 77 people.

IN PICTURES: Joburg’s bad policies and burnt buildings

Inside the city’s housing disaster with Delwyn Verasamy

Former Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse. (Photo by Gallo Images/Luba Lesolle)

Joburg CBD: How politics brought the city to its knees

Two former mayors tell of Johannesburg’s challenges, which led to last week’s fatal blaze

80 Albert Street: ‘It was a place for poor people, it’s not like we wanted to stay there’

The 80 Albert Street blaze was a tragedy waiting to happen – as are many other buildings in the city

Photo by Umamah Bakharia

62 Joburg fire corpses still unidentified

City officials this week started raiding buildings that have been hijacked in an effort to curb illegal occupation

77 people died and when the building they lived in burnt down in Johannesburg.

UPDATED: Illegal electricity connections unlikely cause of fire in hijacked Joburg building, says forensic investigator

Crime syndicate bosses will start a fire to remove tenants from a building they would like to occupy

Photo by Umamah Bakharia

Death stalked 80 Albert Street in downtown Joburg

As the ashes cool and xenophobia licks at our shared humanity, it is time for a reckoning with who we have become