Rescue operations at the site of the collapsed building in George entered a new phase on Wednesday as emergency teams shifted from using rescue to demolition equipment to lift concrete slabs in attempts to save trapped workers.
Provincial chief of disaster management Colin Diener said on Wednesday afternoon that the next few hours would be a “slow and careful process”.
The change of equipment was in efforts to lift and move concrete to save more lives at the Victoria Street site, where the multi-storey apartment building collapsed on Monday afternoon.
The death toll now stands at eight, with 37 retrieved and 38 still unaccounted for.
One of the workers who was on site on Monday, Malala Moses, said he was on the top floor of the building when he heard a “loud noise” near the basement.
As he tried to inspect where the sound had come from, he saw dust as the building started to collapse and he started slipping alongside other colleagues.
“At night I can’t sleep since Monday. We have been helping on site to help with (search and rescue). It has been a painful time,” said Moses.
During a briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Diener said that information shared was not a “judgement on the structure” and their focus remained on saving lives.
“We had a number of people that were trapped that we could hear and that could be located with the dogs and we went in with our seismic equipment and were able to release a large number of people.
@capetimessa He was on the top floor of the building when he heard a loud noise… Malala Moses who was on site on Monday relives the harrowing ordeal that unfolded. #georgebuildingcollapse #newsupdatetoday 📹@Ayanda ♬ original sound - CapeTimesSA
“As far as I know this is by far the largest amount of people rescued in a building collapse of this nature.
“This building has provided a whole range of challenges from a rescue perspective and although we went at high risk to save lives over the past two days (it) was very important including our own people’s safety.
“The stage that we are in now is a long and difficult stage as we have to look for bodies in that structure of five storeys which has collapsed ... trying to find bodies is very difficult as you have to break a lot of concrete.
“We are now moving from rescue equipment to demolition equipment due to the condition of the building,” said Diener.
George municipality spokesperson Chantel Edwards-Klose said a specialised asbestos removal company is tasked with deconstructing the parking structure located at the back of the site.
“This is to aid access for rescue operations which continue at the building collapse site on Victoria Street.” Provincial police commissioner Thembisile Patekile said they had deployed their rescue teams to the site as well as it was being treated as a crime scene and a disaster scene.
Meanwhile, Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, who was at the site on Wednesday, said while approaching the area “it was both a feeling of sadness and a sign of hope and happiness ... a dichotomy”.
@capetimessa Drone footage of the George building collapse can be seen. Rescue efforts continue as 39 construction workers are still unaccounted for. #georgebuildingcollapse #newsupdatetoday 📹 @Ayanda ♬ Danger - SoundAudio
“This type of tragedy we have seen in earthquakes, but in all this tragedy, the great joy was to see South Africans work together. We have always worked together when it comes to hardship and tragedy, difficulties and challenges.
“A number of organisations have called for thorough investigations to be done to bring closure for those affected by the tragedy.”
Cosatu’s provincial secretary, Malvern de Bruyn, said they hoped for more rescues.
“We will be engaging with the Department of Employment and Labour and the Compensation Fund for Occupational Injuries and Diseases to ensure that relief is provided to these workers and their families as required by law.
“The federation demands that the owners and management of the construction company be held liable for the deaths, injuries and loss of earnings of these workers. The employers must be held liable for any negligence and criminal conduct that has resulted in this horrific tragedy. Workers sell their labour and not their lives,” said De Bruyn.
Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) president Musa Shangase said they remained concerned about the safety of employees on construction sites.
“As an industry body, we are going to wait for the investigations to be conducted and concluded so we all know what could have led to the collapse of the structure, injuries and sadly loss of life,” said Shangase.
Similarly, Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) urged patience and restraint, emphasising the importance of waiting for expert analysis before drawing conclusions.
Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi was expected to visit the site before holding a media briefing on Thursday.
Cape Times