Ramaphosa describes Johannesburg fire deaths as tragedy, blames ‘criminal elements’
By Reuters
01 September 2023 |
9:49 am
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday called the more than 70 deaths in an apartment block fire in Johannesburg "a tragedy."
Johannesburg officials initially suggested the building had been occupied by squatters, but Ramaphosa said that criminal gangs were exploiting vulnerable families by levy rents on buildings like the one that burnt.
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