eThekwini Municipality rejected plans for site of deadly temple collapse

The eThekwini Municipality has revealed that it previously rejected two building plan applications from the trustees of a Durban farm where the botched construction of a Hindu temple led to the deaths of five people.

READ: Macpherson slams ‘flouted processes’ after illegal building collapse kills five

On Friday, a four-story building under construction in Verulam collapsed, trapping several workers beneath the debris. A preliminary investigation into the incident, released today, has found that the structure was built unlawfully.

The preliminary investigation, conducted by the Council for the Built Environment (CBE), found that the temple was being constructed without approved plans or any other official authorisation.

eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba stated that the lack of documentation made it nearly impossible for the municipality to conduct safety inspections, as officials were unaware the project existed

"Between the year 2022 and 2023, we received two building plans from the trustees of the farm—the farm is 8.5 hectares in extent," said Mayor Xaba. "Both applications were refused because the land on which construction was proposed was zoned as a ‘conservation reserve.’"

In its report, the Council raised significant concerns regarding the frequent building collapses occurring in eThekwini over the past decade. Despite these risks, the Mayor noted that the city currently has little recourse or oversight capability when individuals choose to build structures illegally and in secret.