The developer responsible for a property under construction in Ormonde, Johannesburg, which collapsed on Monday, 2 March, killing nine workers, had no approved building plans, according to Mayor Dada Morero.
Morero visited the site on Tuesday when rescue workers retrieved the last body stuck in the building, which is believed to have collapsed due to a poorly constructed slab. Three workers were confirmed dead on Monday, and the death toll rose to nine on Tuesday.
Morero said the victims were from both South Africa and Lesotho.
“Our teams are still on the ground to establish the damage and also determine what the actual cause is, as it is suspected to be a poorly constructed concrete slab,” the mayor said.
He added that there had been confirmation that the building itself was structurally not sound. Morero said an inquiry will be launched, which will give direction on how to act against the owners, and that a notice to demolish the building will also be issued
“The City will take steps to demolish the structure because of its noncompliance,” he said.
