The Star reports that the Gauteng Department of Health is paying nearly R175,000 every month to guard the Bank of Lisbon building, which caught fire on 5 September, leading to the tragic deaths of three firefighters.  

As there was no fire escape in the building, one of them plunged to his death after slipping and falling out of a window he had broken to let in air to be able to breathe.  One died due to smoke inhalation and the other one burnt to death.  The building, which was only 21% compliant with safety and health regulations, was used to house three provincial departments, namely health, co-operative governance and human settlements.  Government workers have been relocated to other buildings since the blaze, but there are security guards permanently stationed outside the building, which has been sealed off while investigations into the cause of the fire continue.  Health Department spokesperson Lesemang Matuka confirmed that they were still contracted to the security company on a month-to-month basis at a cost of R174,993 a month.

• This short report by Tebogo Monama is at The Star

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