Minister Dean Macpherson receives final report on George building collapse

Public Works & Infrastructure Minister, Dean Macpherson, has received the final Council for the Built Environment (CBE) report of the George building collapse, which claimed 34 lives and injured 28 people.

The Minister reaffirmed that he would personally meet with the affected families in George to present them with the findings after studying the report. He said the Department will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure accountability.

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, has received the final report from the Council for the Built Environment (CBE), through its body Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), surrounding the tragic building collapse in George on 6 May 2024, which claimed the lives of 34 individuals and injured 28 others. This report marks a critical step in the Department of Public Works & Infrastructure’s commitment to uncover the truth behind this preventable disaster and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.

"As the Department, we will now carefully study the report to develop a pathway forward to ensure that a tragedy such as the George building collapse never happens again. As I have previously committed, after studying the report, I will personally return to George to present the findings of this report to the families affected by this tragedy. They deserve to hear directly from us, not through the media, about what went wrong and how we intend to rectify it,” Minister Macpherson said.

The Minister emphasised that the collapse was the result of systemic failures across various regulatory bodies and a lack of cooperation among key stakeholders. He reiterated that accountability cannot be optional when human lives are lost due to human error. Therefore, the Department will continue to work with the South African Police Service (SAPS), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and other relevant regulatory bodies to ensure accountability.

"As I have said before, the collapse of the George building was entirely preventable, and we will therefore work towards accountability and address any errors which may have been identified. By working together, we are ensuring a safe and secure construction sector for all stakeholders."

Enquiries:
James de Villiers
Spokesperson to the Minister
Cell: 082 766 0276
E-mail: james.devilliers@dpw.gov.za

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