Protesters on Tuesday allegedly set fire to a two-storey government building housing the Department of Home Affairs in Germiston, Ekurhuleni city near Johannesburg, while protesting their eviction from a residential block of flats.
Protesters barricaded streets in Germiston on Tuesday morning to protest their eviction from a residential block of flats owned by the municipality, where they had allegedly been living without paying rent.
“We received a call at around 7am local time (0600GMT) and found that part of the roof on the first floor of the Home Affairs building had already collapsed,” William Ntladi, Ekurhuleni’s disaster and emergency management services spokesperson, told reporters on the scene.
He said the exact cause of the fire is unknown at this time. However, he added that it is suspected to be a case of arson, with some people allegedly using a petrol bomb to burn down the building.
No reports of injuries
Ntladi said there are no reports of injuries, but nearby buildings have been evacuated for safety.
