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Home Affairs issues IDs, birth certificates to Alex fire victims

The Department of Home Affairs is issuing identity documents to victims of the Alexandra fire, waiving the required fees.

On Friday, Minister Siyabonga Cwele issued 17 IDs and several birth certificates.

Department spokesperson Siya Qoza said 165 people registered to be reissued with IDS and 35 registered for birth certificates. 

"The birth certificates have all been cleared. The process there was much more clear and straightforward. We have been able to verify and hand over 17 of those and the remainder is where we are still trying to verify and make sure that the right people get the right identification documents," Qoza said.

But the numbers were expected to change, he added.

Qoza said they were communicating with various embassies to ensure that foreign nationals who had lost work permits were issued with new ones.

He said the office would also station a mobile van in Greenville from Tuesday where people could register.

"There are quite a number of people who are working and are not around during the day. So our office is engaging with relevant stakeholders to see how else [we will] be able to expand and extend our services there," Qoza said. 

Qoza added that it was important to assist many of the residents, especially because it was the festive season and people would be travelling. 

Several shacks were razed in Alexandra last week when a fire erupted.

EMS spokesperson Nana Radebe said the cause of the fire was still unknown. 

"From our side we could recommend the cause of the fire, but the police were investigating allegations that there were two people fighting,"  Radebe said. 

Police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said the cause of the fire remained unknown and police were continuing with the investigations.

He added that a case of murder was also being investigated, following the death of a man who was among those accused of starting the blaze.

"We are still investigating and obtaining statements from witnesses. We have not yet established the cause and we are also investigating a case of murder," Masondo said.

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