“We should have probably picked up that these people are building where they should not build,” said Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero at the site of the Ormonde building collapse in Johannesburg, where nine people have been confirmed dead.
The ninth body was located around 11.20am on Tuesday. One person is still missing.
Briefing the media, Morero said the city had no record of building plans being submitted for the construction. However, he added that the city had weaknesses in its development planning department due to a lack of sufficient resources to conduct inspections.
Emergency services received the call about the collapse on Monday afternoon. Upon arrival, three people were immediately transported to hospital while search operations continued for people trapped under the rubble.
Morero said investigations are under way, but the collapse is currently being attributed to a concrete slab.
“This building did collapse yesterday, just around midday, as a result of the concrete slab inside the building. So, on inspection, our teams from EMS have confirmed, together with development planning, that there were no plans submitted for this structure,” he said.
Morero added that the city is still trying to trace the owners of the building, though it is aware of the company contracted to construct it.
“We are also still battling to trace and track the owners, but we do know that the building belongs to a company. We are now still trying to trace them. We know that the developers or the constructors were still on site even yesterday. However, they have since switched off their phones and they have not come around today,” he said.
Morero said there are only 15 inspectors responsible for assessments in the region.
“We do not have enough resources, as you know, but the resources that we have must be used optimally to ensure that they perform their work. We have also agreed with the city manager, the MMC of development planning and the deputy mayor that later today they will be meeting the building inspectors to emphasise these issues,” Morero said.
“We should have probably picked up that these people are building where they should not build. So inspectors should also be helping the city to perform their duties,” he said.
Morero said that as investigations continue, the city will approach the courts regarding plans to demolish the structure.
“Remember, we have to follow what our bylaw says. In this instance, it means the city has to take the matter seriously and also lodge it with the courts, and then we must demolish. However, the inquiry that will be established will further give us details on how we are going to act against the owners of the building, including the construction company,” Morero said.
The city has not yet located the families of the deceased, who are a mixture of South African citizens and Lesotho nationals.
The search continues for one body not yet accounted for.
Sowetan
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