South Africa Building Collapse Was “Entirely Preventable”, Says Minister in Scathing Report

Edited By: Tendai Zola

The South African government has described the deadly building collapse that killed 34 construction workers in George, Western Cape, in May 2024 as a tragedy that was “entirely preventable.” A newly released investigation reveals that safety concerns had been raised repeatedly prior to the collapse of the five-storey apartment block.

Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson delivered the damning findings on Wednesday, citing multiple failures including the use of substandard materials, visible structural cracks, and attempts to conceal defects rather than halt construction.

“There were a number of red flags that were continually raised about this project,” said an emotional and visibly angry Macpherson. He revealed that some construction flaws had been detected as early as a year before the disaster, and that the appointed health and safety officer had resigned in protest. Despite this, work on the site continued unchecked.

According to the report, workers had complained about vibrations in the building and were instructed to cover up holes with sand and low-grade concrete. Macpherson stressed, “The work should have stopped. These were chances to prevent a tragedy, but the warnings were ignored.”

The minister spoke after an emotional closed-door meeting with survivors and victims’ families. He called for criminal charges against those found to have been negligent, adding that a police investigation is ongoing, though no arrests have yet been made.

One survivor, electrician Delvin Safers, was trapped beneath debris for 28 hours. Believing he might not survive, he recorded voice notes to his family. His colleague was killed instantly. Though Safers saw no warning signs at the time, he now says if corners were cut, accountability is essential. His father, Deon Safers, attended the minister’s briefing and said he was encouraged by the report but emphasized: “We want justice. My son has not received any compensation.”

Another survivor, Elelwani, tearfully told local media that her life had changed drastically. She lost many teeth, struggles to eat, and has suffered bullying since the collapse. She is now appealing for financial support to cover her medical needs.

Macpherson pledged new regulations to enhance oversight in the construction industry and said outdated legislation would be reformed to prevent such incidents in the future.

The investigation was conducted by the Council for the Built Environment, in parallel with a probe by the Engineering Council of South Africa.