Inspection of China Mall in Springfield, Durban uncovers structural issues, contraventions
The Department of Labour conducted an inspection at the China Mall in Springfield Park, Durban earlier this week.
Image: Jomo Sibiya / Facebook
Amid public concern over the structural integrity of the China Mall building in Springfield Park, Durban, there has been direct intervention from the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL).
One video, posted on social media, purportedly showed steel props in different shops in the mall with questions raised about why they had been installed. This prompted strong reactions from residents, with one X user commenting: “If I look at the photo showing the outside, you can see the utter mess of the concrete decking. This is in no way according to standard and needs to be demolished. Substandard work can't be fixed at this stage anymore. Bring in the excavators.”
Another user expressed frustration with what they perceive as delayed enforcement: “Shut the building down... authorities are too lenient.”
The inspection team was led by Labour deputy minister Jomo Sibiya.
Image: Jomo Sibiya / Facebook
Labour deputy minister Jomo Sibiya conducted an inspection with a team of inspectors, alongside the office of Mayor Xaba of eThekwini Metro on December 30 at the building.
The department confirmed that the building owners continued construction on the first and second floors despite a prohibition notice issued in February 2025, which clearly stipulated that no work should take place until specific conditions were met.
During the inspection, officials discovered new beams and structures on the prohibited floors, along with a number of Occupational Health and Safety contraventions. Key structural concerns included floors made of shutter boards instead of concrete slabs and the absence of load testing on the foundation for the additional floors.
In response, the department issued a second prohibition notice and indicated that prosecution for failure to comply with the February 2025 notice would proceed.
The DEL emphasised that compliance with prohibition notices is a legal requirement and crucial to preventing unsafe construction.
“The department will not allow any building collapse to continue in our country just because people are taking shortcuts,” the department stated.
They added that inspections and enforcement continue even during holidays, highlighting the ongoing commitment to safety and compliance with labour laws.