Joburg building collapse death toll rises to 9 as Morero vows criminal charges
Emergency services in Johannesburg have confirmed that the body of the last missing person has been recovered from the rubble of the collapsed building in the south.
It brings to nine the number of people who have died.
The building in a business park in Ormonde caved in on Monday afternoon.
Six construction workers were confirmed dead in the immediate aftermath, while several others lay trapped beneath piles of rubble.
The recovery mission resumed on Tuesday morning after operations were suspended last night.
Joburg Mayor Dada Morero said no formal plans for the building structure were submitted to the City.
"In terms of our by-law, the city is empowered to demolish in that instance. There was no building plans submitted. That has been confirmed after searching all our records."
When asked whether the owners would face criminal charges, the mayor responded, saying, "It’s criminal what they’ve done here. Yes, there will be charges. Development planning has been advised on the steps that it will be undertaking to charge these people."
Morero said the inquiry would determine the full scope of action against both the property owners and the construction company.
"The inquiry that will then be established will further give us details on how we’re going to act against the owners of the building, including the construction company."
He admitted there were weaknesses in monitoring compliance.
"You are even told that there were no building plans submitted, which means there is also weakness on our side in terms of monitoring these developments, because we should have probably picked up that these people are building where they should not build."
The mayor confirmed that the city will deploy 15 building inspectors in the region to conduct broader inspections.
"In this region alone, we have 15 building inspectors who will now be doing their work to try and confirm the entire area, and what is happening. We do not have enough resources, but the resources that we have need to be used optimally."
Morero also confirmed that the families of the deceased have not yet all been located.
"We will not be able to give out their names until they’ve made contact with their families. It’s a mixture of South African citizens and Lesotho nationals."
The city is expecting a visit from national government representatives, including the Labour Department, as investigations continue.
Structural assessments are expected to be completed within a week, with the broader investigation estimated to take about two weeks.
Morero also issued a stern warning to contractors and developers.
"We’re making a call to all contractors, to developers, building owners, to ensure that before they undertake any form of construction, they submit their plans. There’s no excuse. It’s an issue of lawlessness and non-compliance."
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