Engineering Council of SA received two complaints against professional working on collapsed George building

GEORGE - The Engineering Council of South Africa says it has received two complaints against one of the registered professionals who was working on the construction of a building that collapsed in George.

The complaints were against Athol Mitchell, the structural engineer of Mitchel and Associates, who were appointed to work on the George project. 

It's understood that one complaint was investigated and dismissed in 2019.

A subsequent charge, lodged in December, is still under investigation.

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Thirty-two people have been confirmed dead after the partially completed block of flats caved in a week ago. At least 20 construction workers remain trapped in the rubble.

In the preliminary leg of its probe, the Engineering Council of South Africa contacted several people attached to the 75 Victoria Street project.
 
This third-party investigation covers the conduct of all engineering professionals working on the fatal structure.
 
The South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions is considering the conduct of all the hired construction staff. 
 
Computer simulations and lab analysis of building materials are among the techniques that will be used to determine structural deficiencies, design flaws or whether environmental factors played a role in the collapse.