Survivors of George building collapse demand justice as report blames engineer, developer and contractor

The survivors and the families of workers who died or were seriously injured in the collapse of a five-storey building in George in the southern Cape in May last year have called for justice and compensation. 34 construction workers died in the disaster while 28 were injured. At the time of the collapse, there were 62 workers at the site.

The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) released a report on the causes of the accident on Saturday. The investigation, which was conducted by Council for the Built Environment (CBE), a statutory body of the department, found that the developer, contractor and the engineer are responsible for the tragic loss of lives.

Trauma and struggle to survive

Speaking during the press briefing, an emotional Elelwani Mawela, who has moved back to her family’s home in Limpopo since the accident, said she is unable to work and is struggling to make ends meet. “It is not east to talk, but I will try. If you can see me, I lost my teeth. I can’t eat properly; it’s very hard. No money, no support. How can I get money to buy food? Life is very hard for me. I stay in Limpopo and I’m going back today. I lost a lot of people. It’s painful. A lot of people at home are starting to bully me because I don’t have teeth. I am still young; I can’t eat properly; I can’t smile; I can’t talk because I’m scared because people are going to bully me… which means I am going to kill myself,” she said as she burst into tears.

Another survivor, whose left leg and arm were amputated, Shadrack Maine called for justice and for compensation. “I’m happy that the minister was here to deliver the report and I hope that will bring justice and that we will be compensated,” said the 38-year-old Lesotho national. He told Elitsha that he still thinks about what happened on the fateful Monday afternoon of the 6^th of May 2024: “There isn’t a day when I do not think about what happened that day. The trauma of what happened is still there. I think about how I was supposed to die there that day.”

Maine told Elitsha that he started work as a labourer at the construction site about two months before the accident. His workday began at 07h00 and he knocked off at 17h00 and was paid R200 a day.

Deon Safers’s son worked at the construction site as an electrician. He was pulled from the rubble thirty hours after the building collapse. When Elitsha visited his family home in Highway Park in Mossel Bay, Delvin was fixing his car and going about his own business while his father spoke on his behalf. “The ones responsible must go before the court so that the families of both living and deceased be compensated and justice must be served,” Safers said. “Delvin no longer wants to talk about what happened that day. One of his colleagues died on his feet; he has told us about how a concrete slab missed him and was about 50cm away from his body,” said Deon.

Key findings of the report

The 200-page report found that red flags were ignored by all of those who were involved.

1. First, the investigation confirmed that serious safety concerns were raised well before the collapse. Workers noticed cracks in columns, strange vibrations in the slab, and even visible holes through the walls in the basement. Some of these observations were made as early as 2023.
2. Despite these warning signs, site managers reportedly instructed workers to patch the damage with sand and mortar, rather than halting construction and escalating the matter for formal investigation.
3. The concrete used in the slabs did not meet required specifications. Where 19 to 25 megapascal were needed, only 13 megapascal of concrete were delivered.
4. The so-called “competent person” responsible for the structural system did not have the competency requirements to oversee a project of this complexity.
5. The geotechnical study of the site, critical in determining soil stability and groundwater conditions, was not only incomplete, but grossly deficient. Key tests and geological mappings were missing.
6. The health and safety agent appointed to monitor site compliance resigned midway through the project, stating clearly that they could no longer ensure safe working conditions.
7. There was a shocking lack of coordination between regulatory authorities. Planning departments, the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) inspectors, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) professionals, and department of labour officials all worked in silos. No one saw the full picture.

The report will form part of the police investigation, according to the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

Engineer not a first-time offender

Following the building collapse in May 2024, the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) cancelled the registration of the building engineer. The engineer also received the maximum fine possible. According to ECSA president, Thembinkosi Madikane, it was the third time that the council dealt with a complaint against the engineer. “In 2019, the ECSA received the first complaint against the respondent and upon review by the investigating committee, it was concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a breach of the ECSA’s code of conduct,” Madikane said.

A subsequent complaint and a tribunal, in December 2023, found the engineer guilty of failure to discharge his duties with due care, skill and diligence, and of failure to adhere to professional norms when carrying out work.

Exploitation and fatalities in construction

Reacting to the findings of the CBE report, the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (Giwusa) said that the construction industry ranks among the most dangerous sectors of the economy with fatality rates far exceeding the national average. “These are not ‘accidents’ – they are built on exploitation. The 34 deaths in George are a horrific magnification of the daily violence inflicted on the working class by the pursuit of profit,” said the union’s president, Mametlwe Sebei.

“We also take seriously the vulnerabilities faced by foreign nationals on construction sites, many of whom work under exploitative or undocumented conditions. Their safety must be protected, their presence recorded, and their rights upheld,” said Public Works and Infrastructure minister, Dean Mcpherson.