Pretoria – The Department of Labour has appointed a presiding inspector to help set up a formal hearing into the incident at Tongaat Mall in KwaZulu-Natal.
“The department’s Deputy Director: Civil and Construction Sector Phumi Maphaha has been appointed to head a Section 32 hearing. The Section 32 hearing is usually appointed by the Department of Labour against parties whose negligence results in occupational injuries and death of workers,” said the department in a statement.
Maphaha is expected to begin his work next week.
He will first meet with the legal representatives of various stakeholders affected by the tragedy to thrash out modalities on how a formal hearing will proceed.
The department said labour inspectors had taken control of the accident site and were gathering evidence.
On Tuesday afternoon, a concrete slab collapsed at the construction site of the mall, killing one woman and injuring 29. It is not clear if there are still victims trapped under the rubble. – SAnews.gov.za
