Ravi Jagadasan was the business's sole director on paper but his father, Jay Singh, ran the company developing the ill-fated Tongaat Mall, in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Jagadasan is the sole member of Rectangle Property Investments, the developer of the R220-million shopping centre.
The mall collapsed in November, killing two workers and injuring 29.
Jagadasan told the commission of inquiry into the mall's collapse yesterday that Singh ran the company's day-to-day business.
He said his father made all the decisions relating to the centre's development and did not need to consult him.
He said Singh was the chief executive officer of "all companies" that were part of the family trust.
Singh also runs Gralio Precast, the contractor for the mall development. Gralio is owned by Jagadasan's sister, Shireen Annamalay.
Commissioner Phumudzo Maphaha told Jagadasan that, as the developer, he was obliged to hire an agent or himself perform duties relating to the health and safety aspect of the project.
Jagadasan, who was unable to answer many of the questions put to him by Maphaha, said he was not aware of such obligations and was "sure that Mr Singh dealt with it".
He said he was surprised when he heard of the collapse because he had been told to stop work on the mall in compliance with a court order made at the request of the eThekwini municipality.
When Maphaha told Jagadasan that 90% of those on site were unqualified, he once again referred the commissioner to Singh.
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