JOHANNESBURG – The death toll from the building collapse at the Amethyst Business Park in Ormonde has risen to eight, with one person still missing after two more bodies were recovered on Tuesday morning.
Search and rescue operations continue at the site where a two-storey building collapsed on Monday, 2 March, while still under construction. The two additional bodies were found within the concrete slabs during ongoing recovery efforts.
Six people were confirmed dead on Monday after the first-floor concrete slab gave way during working hours at 6 Amethyst Road. Three people remain in hospital while rescue teams continue searching for one person still unaccounted for.
President Cyril Ramaphosa offered his condolences to the families of the victims on Monday, when six deaths were confirmed. The President’s thoughts also went out to survivors, some of whom were still trapped in the rubble at the time.
“President Ramaphosa expects an inquiry into the collapse will provide answers to the families of the deceased and to survivors and that such an inquiry will help to prevent a recurrence of a tragedy such as this,” the Presidency said in a statement.
City of Johannesburg emergency medical services spokesperson Xolile Khumalo confirmed that search and rescue operations began immediately after the collapse. Teams of paramedics, firefighters and search-and-rescue specialists worked through the night, carefully lifting concrete and twisted metal to locate trapped workers.
MMC for Public Safety Mgcini Tshwaku said the slab separating the two storeys gave way, causing significant structural failure. Authorities have ruled out a transformer explosion as the cause.
The city has launched a preliminary investigation into potential compliance issues surrounding the building’s construction. City Manager Floyd Brink said authorities “cannot seem to find any form of approved plans” for the structure, suggesting it may have been built without proper approvals.
The investigation will examine whether required approvals were obtained for the construction and if building, health and safety regulations were followed during construction. Authorities suspect poor workmanship may have contributed to the collapse.
Tshwaku noted dangerous site conditions, including overhead live power lines near the structure, which have complicated rescue operations. The site remains cordoned off with public access restricted to allow emergency vehicles clear access routes.
A formal investigation will commence once rescue operations are completed and the site is declared safe. Authorities are supporting affected families during the ongoing operations.
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