Justice sought for George collapse victims as damning report looms

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This, as Tuesday marked the one-year anniversary of the building collapse which claimed the lives of 34 people and seriously injured a further 28.

Macpherson said government’s responsibility now was to fix what is broken and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

“That is why I have insisted that transparency guides our work, and that those who fail in their duties, whether public servants or professionals, must face the consequences,” the minister said.

Last month an independent forensic investigation into the building collapse in the Western Cape revealed systemic failures at multiple levels.

The report cited widespread non-compliance with regulatory standards and mismanagement by both the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) and project personnel as key causes of the incident.

The findings, presented by Human Settlements Minister, Thembi Simelane, revealed a series of procedural and structural failures, including irregular project enrolment, inspection lapses, poor material quality, and violations of occupational health and safety (OHS) protocols.

Honouring the fallen

Speaking at the one-year commemoration at the George Town Hall collapse on Tuesday, Macpherson said all role-players should work together to achieve justice for the victims and their families.

“We remember every life lost. We mourn every dream of a future life that was cut short that day. We honour and thank our brave men and women, as well as canines in the South African Police Service, who worked day and night to lead the rescue and recovery effort at that site,” Macpherson said.

He thanked Captain Johan de Lange and his team of investigators for building a strong legal case in search of justice for the victims.

“We honour the brave men and women from our emergency services who worked tirelessly for 11 days in an attempt to save those trapped under the rubble.

“They are heroes who worked through the most difficult circumstances, day and night, to rescue survivors. We feel the pain of families whose fathers did not come home to read their daughters and sons bedtime stories, or to kiss their wives goodnight.

“We are weighed down by the lifelong wait until we see them again in heaven. And we recognise every survivor who carries the physical and emotional scars of that day. This tragedy should never have happened.”

He said the pain, trauma, and human tragedy that occurred called on all to work together.