Marshalltown fire commission ‘is sidelining victims’ The dangers of hubbly bubbly
FAITH is fast disappearing that the commission of inquiry looking into the Usindiso Building, Marshalltown, fire that claimed 76 lives in 2023 will provide closure for the victims’ families and survivors.
As the commission resumed its work this week, organisations representing some of the victims’ families and survivors said they were dismayed by how they were not being taken into consideration by the commission.
Mametlwe Sebei, a member of the Marshalltown Fire Justice campaign, said they were not happy with the manner in which the commission, much like other commissions, had
THE Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa) said hubbly bubbly is more dangerous than ordinary cigarettes, and its addiction was 36 times more addictive than that of cigarettes.
“There is nothing cool about hubbly bubbly. This devil’s product took away my only son last year, ” these are the words of a Soweto mother who said her 24-year-old son died an early death due to the dangers associated with hubbly bubbly, also known as hookah pipe.
“I just can’t stand seeing young children engaged in this devilish behaviour. I just break down and cry whenever I see our children smoking hubbly bubbly. If it were not for the pipe, my son would not have died such an early death.”
Cancer, lung damage, heart disease, TB, herpes, and early death are some of the dangers of hubbly bubbly.
“A hookah smoker takes about 100 puffs in a single 45-minute session, while a cigarette smoker takes about 10 puffs per cigarette. In other words, smoking a hookah pipe can give you as much nicotine as smoking ten cigarettes,” Cansa said.
“Of course, it’s the tar in tobacco smoke that causes cancer. The smoke produced in a typical hookah smoking session can contain about 36 times more tar and about eight times more carbon monoxide than from a single cigarette.”
The SABC reported that hubbly sidelined and failed to consider the families and victims.
Sebei said it was for this reason they had submitted to the commission to urgently provide logistical support in the form of food, transport and accommodation to the group.
He said while some of their demands for assistance had been heeded, they were disheartened to see the manner in which the survivors were being treated.
Sebei said the lack of consideration for the families spoke volumes about the attitude of the political establishments, not only in the City of Johannesburg, but also in the Office of the Premier, about how they looked at the victims and commission.
“History has taught us that these
bubbly has been described by health experts as South Africa’s newest “silent killer”.
The broadcaster reported that a 30-year-old victim of this highly addictive pipe spent two weeks in the ICU as a result of a stroke linked to hookah commissions are not meant to deliver justice. Instead, they are meant to absolve the political establishments of any responsibility, divert attention and (find) all sorts of scapegoats.
“They use scapegoats in the form of blaming low-level officials or blaming the migrants for the broader crisis of housing. That is why they do not see the significance of the victims and ensuring that they are centred in the proceedings,” he said.
Sebei said the organisation had no confidence in the commission yielding any fruit; hence, they had initially demanded an independent working class presence within the body.
"We’ve had many commissions, (including) the Farlam Commission on Marikana, and the Zondo Commission.
pipe complications.
SABC News reported that this young man’s chest was heavily filled with blood and water arising from the heavy inhalation of a nicotine-infested pipe.
The much-loved hookah pipe has
If you go to any of the affected people or their families and ask what justice they got from these commissions, they will tell you nothing. All these things do is to confuse issues, find scapegoats and never really shine light on the foundation of the problems,” he said.
Sebei said there was gross criminality and negligence by the City of Johannesburg in keeping track of the administration of inner city buildings.
He believed there were at least 224 buildings thought to have been hijacked or abandoned in the Johannesburg area.
“We’ve got to say that the government has failed these people and also question how something as big as a building can be hijacked in broad
become a common feature in South African townships, with a strong youth following. Young people standing in corners can be seen inhaling from the pipe on a daily basis.
However, the dangers associated with this pipe are far from the cool daylight by criminal syndicates.
“The result is a situation where desperate working class people and even students have ended up living in squalor. The picture painted about people staying in these buildings has been completely distorted and is out of touch with reality,” he said.
Led by retired Constitutional Court Justice Sisi Khampepe, the inquiry was launched in October 2023 and missed its first deadline of November 30, the date by which it was supposed to have completed Part A of its investigation looking into the circumstances leading to the fire and who should be held accountable.
Part B has been reserved to look at the prevalence of hijacked buildings in Johannesburg’s inner city.
factor that this pipe is associated with.
Cansa research by students from UCT found that students who partake in the smoking of the water pipe believe that it is lighter and cheaper than cigarettes and that its nicotine is less than that of cigarettes.
However, evidence seems to suggest that is not the case.
The Gauteng Department of Health expressed concern over the dangers of hubbly bubbly, which has the potential to cause cancer among its legions of youth smokers.
Speaking to Independent Media, Gauteng Department of Health spokesperson Motaletale Modiba said the department has noted that the hubbly bubbly has become easily accessible to young people.
“Hubbly bubbly poses serious health risks to smokers, including cancer, heart disease, lung damage, and dental disease,” Modiba said.
“It is one of the substances that are being abused and forms part of the substance abuse campaigns and awareness. Substance abuse campaigns and awareness are done at the district health services in Gauteng province, including health education on the promotion and prevention of substance abuse.”
Some of the side effects that are associated with the pipe include dry eyes and mouth, lightheadedness and nausea, irritable cough, nicotine addiction, lung, bladder, and oral cancers, heart disease, lung disease, and breathing difficulty.