By Johnathan Paoli
The final report by the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) forensic investigation into the George building collapse has exposed systemic failures, non-compliance, and negligence across multiple levels, from the construction company to municipal authorities and NHBRC personnel.
Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane released the report into the collapse of the Neo Victoria residential building in George in May 2024, which claimed 34 lives.
The investigation uncovered a chain of regulatory failures, technical negligence, and oversight breakdowns that contributed to the tragedy.
Key findings included fraudulent home-builder certification, irregular project enrollment, inspection lapses, occupational health and safety (OHS) violations, unqualified site staff, and flawed engineering and soil assessments.
Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, Simelane described the collapse as both “historic and horrific,” saying it had forever altered the lives of those affected.
“As a caring government, we want to assure the families and friends of
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