Joburg to blacklist developers after deadly Ormonde building collapse

The collapse of an illegally erected building in Ormonde, south of Johannesburg, which left nine construction workers dead, was preventable and resulted from failures of oversight, process and accountability, theCity of Johannesburgsaid. Preliminary investigations confirmed that the structure was built without the required approvals and in violation of development planning regulations. City officials said the owners and developers bypassed lawful procedures, exposing what they described as a “systemic disregard” for municipal by-laws.

Emergency and recovery operations are ongoing. The building was owned by New Order Investments, which came forward on Tuesday and said it had appointed an independent team of structural engineers, health and safety practitioners and other specialists to investigateMonday’s collapse. “The purpose of the investigation is to establish the facts, assess compliance with all applicable building and safety standards and determine the appropriate remedial steps,” the company said, committing to providing appropriate support to the families of the deceased and the three injured workers.

The city said the collapse of the building was not simply a structural failure but“a failure of oversight, process, and accountability”. It said it had taken “immediate and decisive action” under the leadership of the member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for development planning, the city manager and the deputy executive mayor. Public Works and Infrastructure MinisterDean Macphersonnoted on Tuesday that the incident was the third building collapse in three months.

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“We should never normalise the collapse of any building. Buildings are not meant to collapse,” he said, adding that the Council for the Built Environment would investigate whether negligence or misconduct occurred. “I will be engaging at a national level to urgently review the regulation and enforcement of building standards.

Public safety must always come first.” MMC for development planning Eunice Mgcina said the incident highlighted widespread lawlessness in the built environment. “This catastrophe underscores that there is too much lawlessness in our city. We will not tolerate illegal development,” Mgcina said.

“We are here to protect the lives of our residents. We will indicate our intentions clearly and act decisively. The ball is in our court and we accept this responsibility with the seriousness it deserves.” City managerFloyd Brinksaid the collapse represented a broader failure within the system.

“Ormonde was a tragedy that could have been prevented. More than a structural failure, this was an oversight failure and we must confront that truth.

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