Ekurhuleni says civic education only measure in place to prevent deadly fires
On Monday morning, a blaze claimed six lives at the Marikana informal settlement in Kwa-Thema.
Six family members have died in a fire in Boksburg in Ekurhuleni on the East Rand on 26 May 2025. Picture: Simphiwe Nkosi/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - The City of Ekurhuleni said that civic education was currently the only measure in place to prevent fires, after a blaze claimed six lives in Kwa-Thema on Monday morning.
The fire, which broke out at around 3am, tore through a single structure at the Marikana informal settlement, killing six family members, including children.
Emergency crews managed to extinguish the flames and rescue a seven-year-old girl, who remains in critical condition in the hospital.
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The site has since been declared a crime scene.
Burnt toys, bent corrugated iron, and a single door dangling from its hinges is all that remains of what was once a family home.
Police, forensic experts, and disaster management teams swarmed the Marikana informal settlement, all working to determine what sparked the fire.
Ekurhuleni’s MMC for Human Settlements, Kgopelo Hollo, said service delivery shortfalls didn’t appear to be a factor.
He added that there were plans to move residents into more formal housing.
"We educate them on the measures, they have to take safety measures in terms of the fire, we are here to ensure that this situation here is not linked to service delivery issues because it’s our responsibilities to ensure that our people are in a adequate space, adequate housing."
For now, a little girl fights for her life, while neighbours remain in shock at the deadly scene.