The rubble of the collapsed multi-storey construction site at 75 Victoria Street in George. The building collapse claimed the lives of 34 workers and left dozens injured.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
At an emotional one-year commemoration of the George building collapse, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has vowed that justice will be pursued for the victims, survivors, and families devastated by the tragedy that claimed 34 lives and injured 28 others.
Speaking at the George Town Hall on Tuesday, Macpherson honoured those who perished when the five-storey residential building under construction at 75 Victoria Street collapsed on May 6, 2024.
He paid tribute to the emergency responders and police officers who led a gruelling 11-day rescue effort, calling them “heroes” who worked through “the most difficult circumstances”.
“We remember every life lost. We mourn every dream of a future that was cut short that day. This tragedy should never have happened — and because it was preventable, it must never happen again,” Macpherson said.
The minister stressed that the incident should not be politicised but treated as a national tragedy requiring urgent reforms, accountability, and compassion.
“This is not an opportunity to advance one’s own political agenda. The pain, trauma, and human tragedy call us to work together, not against one another,” he said.
Macpherson revealed that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, through the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) and the Engineering Council of South Africa, had commissioned an in-depth investigation, with a final report expected by the end of May.
“I commit to returning to George and meeting the families personally to explain the findings, and not simply expect them to read about this in the newspaper,” he promised. “Buildings don’t collapse on their own. Accountability cannot be optional when human tragedy takes place at the hands of human beings.”
He added that failures across various regulatory bodies and poor cooperation between agencies such as the Engineering Council of South Africa, the National Home Builders Registration Council, and local authorities had contributed to the disaster. “There was a litany of failures,” he acknowledged.
Macpherson also touched on the vulnerability of foreign nationals working in the construction sector, many of whom were among the victims. “Though legally documented, many remain excluded from proper site records and are vulnerable to exploitation,” he said. “Dignity must not have borders.”
He stressed that justice must go beyond legal accountability. “In too many cases, families have been left without sufficient assistance, without closure, and without the income their loved ones used to provide. Our duty is to support them not just with words, but with meaningful intervention.”
Survivors and grieving families in attendance echoed the need for justice and support.
Shadrack Mayine, who lost a leg and arm in the collapse and now uses a prosthetic limb, said his life remains a daily struggle. “I feel better now, I can walk and move around, but my arm still gives me pain. I’m unemployed, and my family and volunteers help me,” he said.
“Being on the site again was painful. It took me back to the day of the incident.”
Another survivor, Ivaldo Macamo, described the economic hardship he now faces. “I can’t pay for my kid’s education because I am struggling, and no one is coming to my assistance,” he said.
Virgilio Sitoe, who is also unemployed, expressed frustration: “No one can help me with a job — not even the Labour Department.”
For some, the trauma of the collapse is compounded by personal loss. Lucas Mthethwa lost his nephew Mmeli, who had come to George from KwaZulu-Natal to find work. “It is now difficult to accept his death. I brought him here to build a future,” he said.
In closing, Macpherson pledged that the reforms to follow would not be merely technical, but moral. “When we cut corners, when we delay reforms, when we tolerate incompetence, it is not contracts that get lost — it is lives,” he said.
“To the families gathered here today, your loss is shaping real change. We will not rest until we are confident that no family must ever again experience the heartbreak you have endured.”
Quoting former US President Ronald Reagan, Macpherson concluded: “We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, as they slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za