Nine dead in Joburg building collapse as City says construction was illegal

The developer responsible for a property under construction in Ormonde, Johannesburg, which collapsed on Monday, 2 March, killing nine workers, had no approved building plans, according to Mayor Dada Morero.

Morero visited the site on Tuesday when rescue workers retrieved the last body stuck in the building, which is believed to have collapsed due to a poorly constructed slab. Three workers were confirmed dead on Monday, and the death toll rose to nine on Tuesday.

Morero said the victims were from both South Africa and Lesotho.

“Our teams are still on the ground to establish the damage and also determine what the actual cause is, as it is suspected to be a poorly constructed concrete slab,” the mayor said.

He added that there had been confirmation that the building itself was structurally not sound. Morero said an inquiry will be launched, which will give direction on how to act against the owners, and that a notice to demolish the building will also be issued

“The City will take steps to demolish the structure because of its noncompliance,” he said.

The collapse follows an incident in nearby Soweto in January, when a house, believed to be structurally unsound, collapsed and killed three people.

“Through the MMC of development planning, we have taken a view that an aggressive programme must be undertaken by inspectors, especially in areas where industries are built, to ensure compliance,” said Morero.

“We have to start making a serious call to ensure that even our people in the townships, when they want to build or extend, they must present a building plan, because even in townships, buildings are built on sewer or water infrastructure.”

Morero said it was unfortunate that the owners did not adhere to the City’s by-laws. He said the City would likely take a decision once assessments were complete. It was likely that the company would face criminal charges.

Company appoints investigators

The developer of the Ormonde building, New Order Investments, confirmed that concrete slabs had collapsed.

“Our immediate priority has been the safety and welfare of all individuals on-site. Emergency services responded promptly, and we are working closely with them to ensure that all necessary measures are taken,” said the company, through attorney Sinenhlanhla Mnguni.

“New Order has appointed an independent professional team to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the collapse. This team includes structural engineers, health and safety practitioners and other relevant specialists. The purpose of the investigation is to establish the facts, assess compliance with all applicable building and safety standards, and determine the appropriate remedial steps.”

The company said it was cooperating with authorities and extended its condolences to the affected families. “New Order is committed to providing appropriate support to the families of the deceased and to all those impacted.”

Mnguni did not respond to Daily Maverick’s questions about whether they had approved building plans.

Rescue operation

According to an Emergency Services official who spoke to Daily Maverick on Tuesday morning, there were 15 workers on-site when paramedics arrived on the scene on Monday.

He said three who had evaded the danger were found standing at the gate, while the bodies of six who had died were retrieved inside. Another three were rushed to hospital. On Tuesday morning, rescue teams, including firefighters, a police K-9 search unit and members of the JMPD and EMPD, led the work to retrieve the last three bodies.

Inside the building, part of the walls had collapsed and a concrete slab had fallen from large, twisted metal pillars. The property is less than a kilometre from FNB Stadium.

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson is expected to visit the site on Tuesday afternoon. DM

Additional reporting by Reitumetse Pilane.