Nine people died after a building collapsed in Ormonde, South of Johannesburg on Monday afternoon.
Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
Public Works and Infrastructure Development Minister Dean Macpherson says a “crisis response” is needed to tackle the issues in the construction industry after three fatal building collapses in recent months.
He was commenting at the site of a partial building collapse in Ormonde, south of Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The building partially collapsed while construction workers were working on Monday leading to the deaths of nine people and three people are in hospital.
Macpherson said the City of Johannesburg will demolish the building in Ormonde if the company responsible fails to come forward and take accountability.
Some of the deceased were foreign nationals, including individuals believed to be from Lesotho
Some of the deceased were foreign nationals, including individuals believed to be from Lesotho.
Macpherson expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and paid tribute to rescue workers.
“I also want to pay tribute to our brave rescue women and men who put their lives on the line to rescue those trapped under the rubble. They always rush into these situations, putting their safety second and the desire to save lives first,” he said.
“No words will ever be able to capture the pain of losing a loved one in such a devastating manner, particularly those who are breadwinners and working every day to support their families.”
The minister was joined by Council for the Built Environment CEO Dr Msizi Myeza.
He said the purpose of the visit was to gain an initial understanding of the circumstances surrounding the collapse and to ensure all relevant regulatory processes were triggered without delay.
“At this stage, our focus remains on supporting family members. It would be premature and irresponsible to speculate on the causes of the collapse while families are still grieving,” he said.
However, Macpherson noted that this was the third building collapse in recent months.
“Each incident carries its own specific circumstances, but cumulatively we must understand what is behind these collapses and what more we can do as the government. We must confront whether systemic conditions are allowing these tragedies to occur. This demands a crisis response.”
He called on the construction company, New Order Inv, to come forward and take accountability.
“I want to call on the company that constructed this building to come forward and take accountability. If any member of the public knows where the owner of this company is, they should immediately contact the SAPS or local law enforcement,” he said.
He warned that if the company failed to do so, the city would be forced to demolish the structure and assess nearby buildings.
Masuku said no building plans had been approved by the city for the structure.
“In this particular instance, there was no application. There was no request by the builder,” she said.
Police confirmed that nine inquest dockets have been opened for investigation.
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