By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
George municipality has confirmed that the death toll in the collapse of a partially built building in George in the Western Cape a week ago has risen to 32.
In its ninth day of rescue operations, emergency services personnel and volunteers have been on site for over 185 hours.
At the time of the building collapse on Monday, May 6, 81 workers were on site, of whom 61 have since been rescued and recovered, 12 are currently hospitalised.
Spokesperson Chantel Edwards says 32 people are deceased with 20 still unaccounted for.
She says of the 32 deceased, 26 are men and six are women.
Meanwhile, the Forensic Pathology Services, who are in the process of fast-tracking the process of identification, has managed to positively identity six of the deceased.
Edwards says fingerprints, DNA testing and photographs of unique markings such as tattoos and clothing items are some methods used to identify the deceased.
She said there is difficulty in obtaining the accurate names of workers who are missing or deceased. Relatives who have lost contact with their loved ones are urged to come to the George Civic Centre in York Street. This would enable the Department of Social Development to collect detailed and precise information, ensuring all records are accurately documented.
“Since the first call for support by Psychosocial Support Practitioners was put out on May 11, 2024, we can confirm that adequate numbers of fluent practitioners in Chewa, Portuguese, and Shona languages are all on-site to address the emotional, social, and overall mental health needs of those affected by the building collapse. Thank you for standing with us during this critical time.” Edwards said.