Three months after the devastating collapse of a five-story building on Victoria Street in George, Western Cape, on 6 May 2024, questions remain unanswered as details of the ongoing investigation remain sparse, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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At the time of the collapse, 81 construction workers were on-site, and after days of rescue efforts, 34 were confirmed dead.
The site has since been handed over to SAPS for investigation.
Provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Christopher Spies said an inquest into the workers’ deaths is ongoing.
‘There are no timeframes attached to the matter. The case docket will be sent to the National Prosecuting Authority upon conclusion of the police investigation for a decision. Due to the nature of the probe, we’re unable to divulge any further information at this stage,’ Spies said.
According to IOL, since the incident, reports indicate that three directors of Neo Victoria Developments—Dylan Brockway and Harry Gey van Pittius a week after the collapse, and Johannes Swanepoel on June 18—quietly resigned.
The reasons for the resignations are unclear, and Carel Swanepoel is the only remaining director available to answer questions about the incident.
The law firm clarified that its client was the building developer, not the contractor, who was responsible for overseeing the project.
They added that the developers had no employees on-site; contractors or sub-contractors employed the construction workers.
Then Nationall Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Sihle Zikalala revealed that the George building contractor was not registered with the Construction Industry Development Board.
In June, the Engineering Council of South Africa suspended the project’s structural engineer as a precaution to protect public health and safety.
Municipality spokesperson Chantel Edwards stated that SAPS, the Department of Labour, and the Office of the Premier, Western Cape, are conducting investigations.
George Municipality is not involved and does not have access to the findings. Edwards also confirmed that the site has been returned to the developers.
George Municipality has received donations totalling R173 000 from about 148 individuals and organisations.
At the 7th Provincial Parliament opening, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde announced that MEC Tertius Simmers had received a preliminary report on the building collapse.
Winde pledged to ensure that those responsible face the full extent of the law and stated that the provincial government’s next steps would be guided by the report’s findings.
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