Arrest Made in South African Building Fire Death: Murder Suspect in Custody

A 29-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of committing 76 murders after admitting to starting a deadly fire last August in a building in Johannesburg. The man made the confession while providing testimony at a public inquiry into the incident. The fire occurred in the Usindiso building in Marshalltown and took the lives of 77 individuals, leaving many others injured. In addition to murder charges, the suspect also faces charges of arson and 120 counts of attempted murder. Authorities have stated that the man will soon appear in court. The fire in the Usindiso building shed light on the issue of neglected and abandoned buildings, without proper services or fire safety measures, being taken over by criminals who exploit the residents living in them. The City of Johannesburg, which owned the Usindiso building, is currently investigating 188 other troubled buildings, 134 of which are located in the inner city. The ongoing public inquiry is examining both the fire incident and the larger problem of unsafe buildings, with a report expected to be released later this year. Following the fire, President Cyril Ramaphosa called it a wake-up call for South Africa, emphasizing the need to address housing and service-related issues in Johannesburg's inner city. The country as a whole is grappling with a significant housing shortage, with an estimated 15,000 individuals homeless in Johannesburg alone.