Temple collapse tragedy: Fifth body recovered in Verulam

A fifth body has been recovered from the site of the temple collapse in Verulam, north of Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal.

The body had been trapped beneath the rubble of the four-storey building since it collapsed on Friday.

READ: Do not speculate: Mayor calls for calm after temple collapse claims five lives

Search and rescue teams, assisted by emergency services, resumed operations on Sunday morning after they were suspended on Saturday due to bad weather.

KwaZulu-Natal COGTA MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi confirmed that the eThekwini Mayor, Cyril Xaba, visited the scene to offer support.

"This is a very difficult moment for the province and his presence here is to say we feel your pain and just to come and see for himself what really happened and how we can hold each other moving forward because this has touched many people in the province."