A catastrophic building collapse in George, South Africa, that claimed the lives of 34 construction workers and injured many more, has been deemed "entirely preventable" by government officials. A recent report highlighted that multiple safety concerns were raised about the five-storey apartment block long before it fell apart in May 2024.
Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson expressed his outrage, detailing that the use of substandard materials and the presence of structural cracks were significant red flags ignored by those responsible. "The work should have stopped," he emphasized, citing a health and safety officer’s resignation as a protest against the hazardous conditions.
Survivors reported feeling vibrations from the unstable structure, while they were instructed to conceal dangerous gaps with sand and use poor-quality concrete. Following a soul-searching meeting with victims' families, Macpherson called for criminal charges against negligent parties.
Amid ongoing police investigations with no arrests yet, survivors like Elelwani share heartbreaking stories of their struggles, dealing with medical costs and emotional trauma. In response, Macpherson has vowed to enact stricter regulations and modernize construction laws, aiming for improved safety in the future.
The investigation, conducted by the Council for the Built Environment alongside the Engineering Council of South Africa, aims to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.
