The deadliest residential fire in South African history raises concerns about chaos and dysfunction in the city, as the chapter recounts the events and increasing death toll, revealing the devastating impact on the community.
This episode contains descriptions of severe injuries.
Last week, a devastating fire swept through a derelict building in Johannesburg that housed desperate families who had no place else to go. The authorities had been repeatedly warned that it was a potential firetrap. Nothing was done, and at least 76 people died.
Lynsey Chutel, who covers southern Africa for The Times, explains how Johannesburg, once a symbol of the hope of post-apartheid South Africa, became an emblem of just how bad the country’s breakdown has become.
Guest: Lynsey Chutel, a southern Africa correspondent for The New York Times.
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