GEORGE NEWS - Questions have been raised in media reports regarding the engineering oversight on the Neo Victoria development, while engineering investigations into the cause of the implosion of the building on Monday 6 May started within hours after the incident.
Media reports connect the engineer on the project, Atholl Mitchell of Mitchell & Associates, a Cape-based engineering firm, with two complaints brought against him, in 2018-2019 and December 2023, at the Engineering Council of South Africa (Ecsa).
Responding to questions in this regard, Ecsa confirmed that two complaints were investigated against "a registered person".
The council told George Herald that a complaint received in December 2023 has been investigated and prima facie evidence of improper conduct was indeed found. The matter is in the process of being set down for a disciplinary hearing.
Asked if this investigation pertains to the collapsed Neo Victoria building, Ecsa said that prior to the collapse, no complaints were brought against any registered person related to this project.
Ecsa confirmed that in the 2019 complaint, there was no prima facie evidence of improper conduct. Because the matter was dismissed, particulars of the investigation can not be divulged.
Asked if Mitchell, who is registered with Ecsa as a professional engineering technologist, possesses the required qualifications and experience for a multi-storey building such as Neo Victoria, Ecsa said that it largely depends on the complexity of the project and the specific scope of work required. The suitability of an engineer is considered on an ad hoc basis.
Investigator on site day after tragedy
Ecsa said the process of procuring an independent investigator on the collapsed building was initiated on the day of the tragedy.
The investigator arrived in George the following day for a site inspection and to engage with pertinent parties on site.
Since then, all efforts have been made to collect information, documents and evidence and to contact various stakeholders. Once the investigation is complete, a report will be presented to an investigating committee that will present its recommendations to the council.
Ecsa said the confidentiality of information during an investigation or disciplinary hearing is crucial for ensuring fairness, privacy rights, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
"While there is understandable urgency to identify accountable parties and hold them responsible for their actions - an urgency felt keenly by the families, friends, and loved ones of those affected - it is crucial to follow fair and thorough investigative processes.
"This ensures that the immediate need for answers does not compromise the ability of authorities or regulators, such as Ecsa, to ultimately ensure appropriate accountability and take necessary actions in accordance with their statutory powers."
'Construction industry sufficiently regulated'
When he visited the site, national Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala said there is a gap in municipal systems with reference to oversight of construction activities and that these systems should be improved.
However, Western Cape Local Government Minister Anton Bredell upon enquiry this week said the construction industry is sufficiently regulated, and more bureaucracy is not needed. "But ultimately, we need to wait for the findings of the various investigations to guide both government and the industry on the way forward. We cannot have similar tragedies in the future."
* V3 Consulting Engineers is leading another engineering investigation, that of the Western Cape Government, which started the day after the collapse. Read article on page 3.
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