State to call second witness as Usindiso Building fire trial resumes
Usindiso fire killed 76 people, as court hears makeshift structures were highly flammable.
The High Court in Johannesburg, in Palm Ridge, is set to bring in a second witness as the reopened Usindiso building fire trial resumes. The fire, which claimed over 70 lives in August 2023, exposed the dire conditions in the city's hijacked buildings. The court previously heard that makeshift structures were built from highly flammable materials within the structure.
The primary suspect, Sithembiso Mdlalose, faces 76 counts of murder for his part in starting the fire. During the questioning of witness Leonard Cindi, City of Johannesburg Emergency Services Incident Commander Chicco Nyathi revealed that most of the charred bodies were discovered on the ground floor, likely used as a spaza shop.
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