George building collapse one year on: Remembering 34 lives
On this day last year, 34 people were killed when a five-storey development known as 75 Victoria collapsed.
FILE: The site of the building collapse in George, in the Western Cape on 12 May 2024. Picture: George Municipality/Facebook
CAPE TOWN - Residents of George in the Southern Cape will commemorate the first anniversary of the George building collapse on Tuesday.
On this day last year, 34 people were killed when a five-storey development known as 75 Victoria collapsed.
The 42-unit block of flats was being built at the time.
Sixty-two artisans were at the site at the time, and 28 of them survived, some with serious injuries.
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Dean Macpherson, is expected to lead the ceremony aimed at remembering the 34 people killed at 75 Victoria Road in George on this day last year.
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He will also meet with the families to brief them on progress made towards the conclusion of his department's investigations into the cause of the tragedy.
Last month, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane released the outcomes of the National Home Builders Regulatory Council [NHBRC] investigation into the George building collapse.
One of the findings pointed to officials not properly registering the development before construction started.
Simelane also announced the suspension of five officials over the tragedy, citing that the lives of the construction workers would have been saved if the council had done its due diligence.
A few reports into the incident have yet to be made public, including the Western Cape government, the South African Police Service and the George municipality.