Seven people have now died from the building collapse in George in the Western Cape.
Authorities have retrieved another construction worker from the rubble at the site this evening. Rescue efforts will continue into a second night to find the remaining 42 trapped workers.
Seven of the 33 people who were rescued so far were declared dead.
The apartment building was being developed by a private company – The Neotrend group – Ice projects.
Papers for the development were submitted in December 2022 to the George Municipality and it was approved in July 2023.
The plans consisted of four-storey apartments, parking and a basement.
Investigations
The Department of Employment and Labour says it cannot probe the cause of the collapse until the investigation is handed over to the department.
Minister of Employment and Labour Thulas Nxesi has conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased.
“”At this stage our teams cannot be able to do anything except to observe. But we have been able to dispatch our Director-General together with the Chief Inspectorate to go and observe until such time that it has been handed over to us, then we will start the investigation. Unfortunately, it is the protocol we have to observe”.
Meanwhile, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde says investigators from the relevant government authorities are already on the scene of the collapse.
Western Cape CoGTA MEC Anton Bredell gives an update:
