George – The reasons for the deadly collapse of the multiple-storey building that was under construction in George, in the Western Cape, have been made public.
At least 34 people died when the building collapsed on them in May last year.
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The number of deceased was later updated to 34 after more bodies were recovered from beneath the rubble.
A probe into the disaster was launched soon after the site was cleared.
The National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) report on the George Building Collapse released by Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane points to several anomalies.
The damning findings of the NHBRC report include:
- The failure to declare its intention to construct a multi-storey building,
- Multiple breaches of Occupational Health and Safety standards, and
- Gaps in the competency of key personnel involved in the project.
Commenting on the report on Wednesday, (9 April 2025), Chantelle Kyd, GOOD George Councillor and MMC for Planning and Development said: “We support the recommendations of the report and the decision to suspend implicated officials”.
Councillor Kyd added: “Accountability is non-negotiable.
“However, as the GOOD Party, we are extremely concerned about the role played by the George Municipality in this tragedy.”
Councillor Kyd said alarmingly, the report reveals that the municipality approved building plans only after construction was already underway.
“This reflects a serious lapse in oversight and a breakdown in regulatory enforcement by the Building Plan Approval Office,” Councillor Kyd said.
According to the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act, Act 103 of 1977, municipalities must appoint building control officers who are responsible for inspecting building erections.
“It is critical that the municipality learns from this failure,” said Councillor Kyd.
“New operational procedures must be implemented to ensure that no construction begins without full approval of plans.
“Building inspections must be carried out and any deviations from approved building plans must be swiftly detected and acted upon.
“As the MMC for Planning and Development, I will be request that the full NHBRC report be tabled in Council.”
Councillor Kyd said this will allow for robust interrogation of its findings and the development of stronger safeguards to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.
“The people of George deserve the assurance that their safety is a priority.”
