GEORGE NEWS - The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean MacPherson, will be in George this Saturday, 19 July, to personally meet with the survivors and families affected by the Victoria Street building collapse of 2024.

During the first commemoration of the tragic incident on 6 May, MacPherson promised to return to George to share the findings of the Engineering Council of South Africa's (Ecsa) investigations to the families. The Ecsa report was handed over to him in early June.

During a media briefing on Wednesday 9 July, which also marked MacPherson's first year in office, he confirmed the date of the meeting in George. 

The Citizen reports that MacPherson had said during the briefing that the collapse had been entirely preventable. "Accountability cannot be optional when lives are lost due to human error."

MacPherson said the report, detailing regulatory and professional failings, would be handed to law enforcement. "I assure the public […] we will do what is right. People will be held accountable."

A volunteer from George, who wishes to remain anonymous, has been supporting the survivors and families since the collapse, and said their struggles to obtain compensation from the Department of Labour are continuing.

They said Gabriel Guamba, who survived 118 hours beneath thousands of tonnes of concrete, is still struggling with a stranglehold of red tape at the department. "Gabriel is a South African citizen with a South African ID. Despite having to deal with post traumatic stress disorder over the past year, Gabriel managed to haul himself to George Hospital for psychiatric consultations to get progress medical reports.

"After jumping through all their hoops, he is now told he still needs to get a psychiatrist's report and a psychologist's report. This is the cruel game that Labour plays with the building collapse victims.

"They keep shifting the goalposts until the victim is totally worn out mentally, physically and financially," said the volunteer.

The department is not forthcoming with responses to George Herald's queries (emailed to them in early May) regarding Compensation Fund payments to claimants. The newspaper has also enquired after the progress with the department's occupational health and safety investigation and is awaiting comment.

According to news reports, the Auditor-General's findings on the Compensation Fund point to a breakdown in its internal controls due to alleged maladministration and fraud.

The rescue teams faced a daunting task.

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