Update

GEORGE NEWS - A week into the tragic collapse of a partially-built building in Victoria Street, George, rescue and recovery efforts continue. 

Rescue workers and other role players have been on site for 172 hours.

Eighty-one construction workers were estimated to be on-site at the time of the collapse. Rescue teams have recovered 59 people so far, of which 30 are sadly deceased. 22 people are still unaccounted for.

In a statement released by George Municipality, they thanked residents of George and South Africa who participated in the Moment of Silence in honour of the victims who passed away in the incident, extending their sincere appreciation for the community's continuous support.

According to the statement, "The primary focus continues to be on rescue efforts. With this in mind, we are also proactively setting up plans to expedite the identification of the deceased. This is done by Forensic Pathology Service (FPS) and South African Police Service (SAPS). We, therefore, endeavour to fast-track the process to help bring closure to families.

"We are experiencing difficulties in obtaining accurate names of individuals missing or deceased due to the building collapse. We urgently request families who have lost contact with their loved ones to come to the George Civic Centre in York Street. This will enable the Department of Social Development to collect detailed and precise information, ensuring that all records are accurately documented.

"The Joint District Operations Centre's adherence to a stringent double verification protocol is crucial for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of reported numbers of the deceased, which is essential in emergency and disaster response scenarios. This verification process involves cross-referencing information from multiple reliable sources, such as recovery teams, hospitals, and forensic services."

The municipality is still urgently looking for professional psychosocial support practitioners proficient in Chewa, Portuguese, and Shona languages to assist survivors and their families. "Several practitioners have already offered their services and more are welcomed to contact Ms. Kholiswa Jobela at 078 210 5972 or Mr. Apolus Swart at 061 504 4205"

Previous articles:

• Building collapse: Death toll at 27
  
• Building collapse: Death toll at 26
• Victoria Street building collapse: Minute of silence
• Forensic Pathology uses all methods to connect deceased with their families
• Motorists asked to avoid lower York Street
• Update on building collapse: Death toll rises to 21

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