The Department of Home Affairs in Gauteng has confirmed that all critical documents, including smart ID cards and passports, are safe despite extensive fire and water damage to its Germiston office on Tuesday.

Gauteng Home Affairs provincial manager Mamokubung Moroke said the most damage occurred on the first floor, which housed administrative and immigration services.

“This is a huge loss in terms of property and equipment, but documents are safe because they were securely locked on the ground floor, which did not catch fire,” Moroke told the media Tuesday.

This comes after 422 families were evicted from rental flats in Germiston CBD on Tuesday morning.

The unrest followed court-ordered evictions at the Pharoe Park rental complex. 

The evictions, enforced by the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) and SAPS, sparked an arson attack on the Department of Home Affairs building in Germiston.

The low-cost rental flats are owned by the Ekurhuleni Housing Company (EHC), a municipal housing entity. 

The city said 422 tenants had defaulted on rent payments, prompting legal action and eventual evictions.

Moroke added that the ground floor suffered significant water damage from firefighting efforts. Affected clients will need to resubmit their documents.

Home Affairs services will continue via mobile trucks stationed at the Alberton and Boksburg offices, beginning Wednesday. She said only clients with prior appointments or those turned away due to the fire will be assisted initially.

Gauteng police confirmed the arrest of two people on charges of public violence in connection with the fire and protests in the Germiston CBD.

Officers from SAPS, the Gauteng Traffic Department, and EMPD were deployed to manage the scene, which affected President Street, Queen Street and Jack Street.

Meanwhile, in an update on Wednesday, EMPD spokesperson Thabiso Makgato said that the situation at the flats was calm and under control.

“Currently, the situation is calm, with just the people waiting for transportation and looking after their belongings.”

“EMPD specialised services and SAPS are patrolling and monitoring the area around Pharoe Park,” Makgato said.

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL News

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