Law enforcement tracking down builder of collapsed Verulam building

Law enforcement authorities are trying to track down the builder of a botched temple in Durban that collapsed and killed five people.

On Friday, search-and-rescue teams responded to reports of people trapped under rubble after a four-storey building in Verulam suffered structural failure while under construction.

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On Wednesday, the Council of the Built Environment (CBE) released an interim report on the incident, citing several irregularities and compliance violations in the construction of the Hindu temple.

The report found the construction was unlawful, as there were no approved building plans or any other required authorisation.

Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson said, “It’s also been observed that substandard concrete material and substandard reinforced columns were used.

"It is vitally important, therefore, that we urgently track down the supplier and builder that used this material to stop this from happening anywhere else. We have been unable to do so, but we are working around the clock to track them down.”