Ormonde building collapse: Compensation process yet to begin, says Labour Dept

It's more than a week since the deadly building collapse in Ormonde, south of Johannesburg, and the Department of Labour said the process of compensation is yet to begin.

It is understood that the delay is due to outstanding submissions from the employer.

Nine people lost their lives when a slab of the second floor of the building fell on them, leaving three others injured.

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In the week of the building collapse, the Deputy Minister of Labour, Jomo Sibiya, visited the site and confirmed that the employees who had suffered injuries and those who died would be compensated.

Sibiya also criticised developers for hiring undocumented foreign nationals in the construction sector and exploiting them.

While the building had no approved building plans and the foreign workers had no permits, according to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA), all workers are eligible for compensation.

The Labour Department said the process has not begun because the employer has not submitted the death certificates or medical reports of those who are injured.