By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has confirmed an increase in the death toll from the building collapse in George on Friday morning.
Winde said the number of critically injured in hospital now stands at 15.
“Overnight, one of the critically injured patients passed on. We now have a death toll of nine, the critical number of 16 has came down to a 15,” said Winde.
As the rescue operation reaches 88 hours, the highly skilled rescue teams are still applying meticulous rescue techniques.
The big earth-moving machinery has arrived during the night of 9 May.
According to the municipality, this includes two five (5) ton excavators, three (3) 20-ton excavators with hammers and buckets, and a three (3) cube front-end loader, as well as trucks for extraction and clearing.
In a statement issued by the George Municipality says, “The rescue operation continues to be a multi-agency approach, involving local excavation contractors and the District Roads Engineer. Despite the introduction of large machinery, rescue techniques will still be applied meticulously and sensitively by the highly skilled and experienced disaster management team.”
On Thursday, the George municipality revised the number of workers who were present at the time of the incident on Monday.
According to the George Municipality, the number of workers present on site was 81, previously reported to be 75.
“This follows intensive discussions and scrutinisation of the safety records with the responsible contractors. The contractor has now confirmed that the number of workers on site at the time of collapse was 81.”
The search for the remaining 44 continues with the help of the K-9 unit.
Winde has thanked those who have been assisting in the emergency response to the George building collapse.
A multi-disciplinary rescue team of more than 200 emergency services staff has been at the site since Monday.
“Our teams on the ground are working tirelessly to rescue the remaining individuals. I cannot express the emotions I felt when the site would suddenly go completely quiet in the hope that our teams might be close to locating another survivor.
My heart goes out to the families of the deceased. I share your pain. We will do everything we can to ensure we determine the exact cause of this incident.”
The chairperson of the portfolio committee on human settlements in Parliament, Machwene Semenya, called for the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) to launch an in-depth investigation into the tragic incident in George.
We are extremely distressed by the incident, the loss of life and injuries experienced. We continue to pray and hope that the workers who remain trapped in the building will be found alive, despite the lengthy rescue and recovery process.
“Efforts, however, should already be under way to institute a full-scale investigation into the causes of the collapse and those culpable must be held accountable,” Semenya said.
She said the NHBRC had a moral and legal duty to investigate and report on any shortcomings during the building process.
The investigation should focus on whether there was bad workmanship, registration of the builders, and whether the materials used are in accordance with building standards in the country as per the Housing Consumers Protection Measurement Act,” Semenya said.