The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, has expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims of a four-storey building that collapsed in Redcliffe, north of Durban.
"This is a deeply distressing incident. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased and with all those who have been injured during this incredibly difficult time, as well as with the workers and families affected by this tragedy," the Minister said on Saturday.
He was speaking during a visit to the site of the collapsed building, where he was joined by the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, and the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure, Martin Meyer.
While rescue and recovery operations are ongoing, the Mayor of eThekwini Municipality, Councillor Cyril Xaba, indicated in a post on social media platform, “X” that four bodies had been recovered so far.
During the visit, the delegation was briefed by the Provincial Disaster Management Centre, emergency services, and built-environment officials on the rescue operations currently underway.
"At this stage, our focus must remain on the rescue and recovery efforts and on supporting affected families. It would be premature and irresponsible to speculate on the causes of the collapse or the next steps while operations are ongoing. There will be time for a thorough investigation and accountability once all the facts have been established," Macpherson said
The Minister said that, as a matter of urgency, he will consult widely with all relevant stakeholders - including briefing the President of the Republic of South Africa - as part of determining an appropriate pathway forward once rescue and recovery operations have concluded.
Xaba, who revisited the site on Saturday following the incident on Friday, commended the rescue teams for their exceptional efforts.
He assured the families of victims gathered at the site that the government remains committed to working tirelessly until all individuals trapped beneath the rubble are safely retrieved.
The Mayor confirmed that a multidisciplinary technical team has been established to investigate the cause of the incident.
The team will collect all relevant information and compile a preliminary report, which will be released to the public next week -SAnews.gov.za
