Labour minister Thulas Nxesi visited the site on Thursday and briefed the media. He said the department had not started investigations but had secured records.
He said the records reflected that there were 81 people on site when the building collapsed.
Nxesi was unable to say when investigations would be concluded.
“When we deal with a matter like this you can’t put a timeline to it. Some investigations have taken six months, and some a year.
He said de did not know when the police would be able to hand over the site.
Nxesi said he had a heavy heart given what he had seen and didn't want to speculate on what had gone wrong. He said he had appealed to the employer to engage the families of the victims.
“It would be good from a moral point of view that the employer, wherever he is, or the owners, whoever they are, to just talk to these families,” said Nxesi.
George municipality confirmed at 3pm on Thursday that the numbers were unchanged, with 37 workers retrieved. Eight are dead, 16 are in a critical condition, six have life-threatening injuries and seven have minor injuries.
As the search and rescue operation passed the 72-hour (three-day) mark, with no more people rescued, 44 people remained unaccounted for.
TimesLIVE
LISTEN | Owners of collapsed building 'missing' as search for survivors continues
Owners are 'obliged by law to contact the labour department'
Image: Werner Hills
The department of employment and labour's inspectors are unable to contact the owner of the collapsed George building.
The department's inspectors have been trying to contact the owner since they arrived at the scene on Tuesday.
“We went to the address on our system and it was locked. We issued a subpoena but until today [Thursday], there has been no response from that particular person,” said the department's provincial chief inspector David Esau.
He said the department would institute legal processes.
“I am hearing everywhere that he is making contact with people through his attorneys. That's not our business. He is obliged by law to be in contact with the department of employment and labour,” Esau said.
LISTEN HERE:
Labour minister Thulas Nxesi visited the site on Thursday and briefed the media. He said the department had not started investigations but had secured records.
He said the records reflected that there were 81 people on site when the building collapsed.
Nxesi was unable to say when investigations would be concluded.
“When we deal with a matter like this you can’t put a timeline to it. Some investigations have taken six months, and some a year.
He said de did not know when the police would be able to hand over the site.
Nxesi said he had a heavy heart given what he had seen and didn't want to speculate on what had gone wrong. He said he had appealed to the employer to engage the families of the victims.
“It would be good from a moral point of view that the employer, wherever he is, or the owners, whoever they are, to just talk to these families,” said Nxesi.
George municipality confirmed at 3pm on Thursday that the numbers were unchanged, with 37 workers retrieved. Eight are dead, 16 are in a critical condition, six have life-threatening injuries and seven have minor injuries.
As the search and rescue operation passed the 72-hour (three-day) mark, with no more people rescued, 44 people remained unaccounted for.
TimesLIVE
READ MORE:
‘I thought I was dying under the stones and sand’: Worker saved from George building collapse
George building collapse: Six more people were on site than initial count
Survivor recounts moment he emerged from George building collapse
Rescue workers and volunteers push through exhaustion to continue search
IN PICS | ‘We’re trying to save as many people as we can’: developer helping rescuers at site of George building collapse
LISTEN | Search and rescue operations continue at collapsed George building
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most read
Latest Videos