One dead in Randfontein building collapse as rescuers mark George tragedy anniversary
SARZA volunteers and emergency responders at the Randfontein collapse site, where one body was recovered late Monday, May 5.
Image: Arrive Alive
A person was killed on Monday, May 5, after a building collapsed in Randfontein, prompting a large-scale emergency response by Gauteng’s search and rescue teams.
According to Arrive Alive SA, the call came in late in the afternoon via Gauteng EMS, with SARZA Gauteng volunteers mobilising swiftly from across the province. They were joined at the scene by EMS personnel, Disaster Management, Fire and Rescue Services, and the SAPS K9 Search and Rescue unit.
Responders worked through the evening to secure the site and search for survivors. One fatality was confirmed based on eyewitness accounts.
After a lengthy operation to clear the rubble, the victim’s body was recovered. SARZA members returned home shortly before midnight.
The incident came on the eve of the first anniversary of the deadly George building collapse. Many of the same responders who assisted in Randfontein had also taken part in the George rescue efforts, which saw SARZA teams from Gauteng, the Free State, and the Lowveld respond to a call for assistance from SARZA Cape.
Arrive Alive SA noted that the Randfontein operation carried a “quiet weight” for many involved, as they paused to remember those who lost their lives in past tragedies — and the rescuers who continue to carry the memory of those they could not save.