By Levy Masiteng
Nine people died following the collapse of a building at a construction site in Ormonde, south of Johannesburg, on Monday evening.
Three additional bodies were located on Tuesday morning as search and rescue operations continued, after six people were confirmed dead on Monday.
One worker remains unaccounted for, and one has been successfully rescued and taken for medical treatment, according to Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
EMS spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said a total of 12 workers were inside the building at the time of the collapse.
The incident took place at Amethyst Business Park.
According to preliminary reports, the concrete slab dividing the structure into two storeys suddenly caved in, triggering a structural failure that trapped workers beneath tons of rubble.
“At this stage, we do not have information on whether the building was operating as a factory,” Khumalo said. “We will have more information once we locate the building owner, whom we have not yet met.”
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero and his Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs) are expected to visit the site on Tuesday afternoon to assess the situation and engage with affected families.
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson, alongside Council for the Built Environment (CBE) Chief Executive Officer Msizi Myeza will also visit the site.
“The CBE, which regulates professionals and the built environment sector, is tasked with investigating the circumstances surrounding any building collapse in South Africa to identify whether professional negligence, contravention of mandatory standards, or misconduct took place,” the department said in a statement.
