The man who escaped the fire that took the lives of 77 people at a building in Johannesburg CBD last week Thursday, says he is ready to pack and leave the City of Gold for good.

Siviwe Mbaswane (43) from Mqanduli in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape bought a room in the building for R7 000 and rented part of it to a a family. Mbaswane, a qualified engineer who has been unemployed since he was fired in 2017 says that he believes the fire broke out because of illegal connections. "I warned the residents of the building not to connect electricity illegally, but people were living in the dark and desperate, " he said. Mbaswane said he and his tenants escaped by climbing through the wall using windows and bricks on the wall for support until he reached the exit. "As much as I managed to escape the fire and my tenants are safe, I want nothing to do with this city," he said.

Mbaswane who has been staying in the building said that his plan is to go back home now. "There is nothing left for me here. I am still traumatised by the fact that some people I knew died in the fire. I don't have a choice but to go back home and to search for employment. I am grateful that I am alive, and my family is happy that I made it through the fire. But I believe this is a sign that I must let go because I have been here for over six years with no job," he said.