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Scene from the George building collapse.
The George Municipality in the Western Cape says it will review its legislation and internal processes to help prevent a tragedy like last May’s building collapse.
The municipality maintains it has fulfilled its legal obligations in relation to the construction site, but Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure says it remains unconvinced, accusing the municipality of negligence and inadequate oversight.
Acting Mayor Browen Johnson, says the criticism is misplaced.
“It’s also important for us to clarify on inspection work routine inspections are not performed on construction sites by municipalities. It is done through appointments. In this particular case, the appointments of the engineer carried out responsibility on that site. The NSRBC also has an oversight role in residential construction.”
The Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure says it’s unhappy with the response from the George Municipality in the Western Cape to questions over the May 2024 building collapse.
Thirty-four people died and several others were injured.
The committee is in George to engage with families of the victims, survivors and the municipality as part of its own probe.
Committee Chairperson, Carol Phiri, says, “We’re not satisfied at all, the responses, especially from the municipality side, in our view and what we’re getting from the presentation, there’s negligence and the negligence they’re referring to, it means there’s a lack or imbalance of legislation. They’re shifting the legislation to say it was supposed to be in this way, not in that way.”
George Building Collapse | 5 NHBRC officials suspended
