Public Works Committee demands answers on George building collapse that killed 34

The Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure has expressed its disappointment with the report it received from the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) and its partner entity, the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), regarding the collapse of the George building.

The committee met with the CBE, CIDB, and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) for a briefing on the outcomes of the forensic report into the George building collapse.

On May 6, 2024, the four-storey building at 75 Victoria Street collapsed, killing 34 people. 

Committee chairperson, Carol Phiri, expressed her disappointment at not having the forensic report after claims by the Department of Public Works that the report contains sensitive information. It said the committee had to review the report in camera first.

The CBE informed the committee that the current regulations in the built environment are fragmented, and entities often work in silos, making information sharing and cooperation between different bodies in the built environment challenging. The committee commended the CBE for being honest about its shortcomings in providing professional guidance on the built environment on construction sites.

“There is nothing to tell the people of South Africa, but what we are getting is that they are afraid to go after the contractor based on legalities. It is a shame that, as the committee, we are unable to get the answers we need to properly understand who was negligent in the collapse of the building that resulted in deaths and injuries to workers,” Phiri said. 

The committee further expressed its disappointment with Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, again being a no-show. 

Macpherson sent a letter of apology stating he was unavailable due to constituency engagements. 

Phiri said the committee has resolved that it would be escalating the matter of the Minister's continuous absence to the Office of the Speaker of the National Assembly. 

It further recommended that a multi-stakeholder meeting be held with relevant departments, including Human Settlements, Home Affairs, Employment and Labour, the South African Police Service (SAPS), and other relevant stakeholders, to determine the root cause of the building’s collapse.

Cape Times