Johannesburg – The red flags of building irregularities were in plain sight, but no one noticed until nine construction workers were crushed to death by a collapsing floor while they toiled.
Six workers died on the spot on Monday, 2 March 2026, when a floor came crashing down on them in the nearly completed building in Ormonde.
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Today, Tuesday, 3 March 2026, three bodies were recovered from the rubble, bringing the fatalities to nine.
Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, said the positioning of the building next to electricity pylons should have alerted authorities to the unlawful building operations.
The premier said he was saddened by the building collapse in Ormonde, and he extended his condolences to families who lost their loved ones and assured support to all those affected by the tragedy.
Statements from City Manager Floyd Brink and Executive Mayor Dada Morero indicate that there were no approved plans for the building, suggesting that it was constructed illegally.
Visiting the site on Tuesday afternoon alongside emergency services, the Public Works & Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson said the collapse – the third in the past three months – raises serious concerns about potential systemic weaknesses in the regulation and enforcement of building standards in South Africa.
He said the Council for the Built Environment will investigate the incident to determine whether professional negligence or misconduct occurred, and that he will expedite engagements at the national level to review regulatory oversight and prevent similar tragedies.
The Minister expressed his deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, and to all those injured.
Three workers remain hospitalised.
“We are determined to get to the bottom of this and will release the findings publicly once the investigation has concluded,” said Minister Macpherson.
“We will not hesitate to take action against any individual found to be complicit.”
However, the construction company, contractor, engineers, and building owner remain untraceable.
