NPA reviews George building collapse docket

The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) regional communications head, Eric Ntabazalila, has confirmed that the NPA received the docket regarding the 75 Victoria Street building collapse from the police’s investigating team at the beginning of February. “We are in the process of studying it with a view to making a decision,” he said. George Heraldreportsthat various investigation reports form part of the docket, including the Western Cape Government’s structural engineering one, which was handed over to the police in January last year, and the Engineering Council of South Africa’s (Ecsa) one, which the police received halfway through last year.

The Ecsa report’s findings were partly released at a media briefing in George in July last year and were handed over to the police about the same time. Other reports that formed part of the police investigation were those of the Council for the Built Environment (CBE), National Home Builders’ Registration Council (NHBRC) and the Employment and Labour Department. Altogether, 34 people died and 28 were injured in the collapse on May 6, 2024.

The property was sold through an online auction in October for R2.85m. Martin Pretorius of Van’s Auctioneers in Pretoria said the new owner wishes to remain anonymous. In the meantime, the DA and Good Party have called on the police and the NPA to provide the people of George with an update.

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George councillor Chantelle Kyd from Good Party called on the police and relevant authorities to publicly account for the status of the investigation, clarify whether criminal charges will follow and commit to concrete timelines for action. DA Western Cape infrastructure spokesperson Dirk Wessels said the ‘continued delays’ deny victims’ families, survivors and the wider community the justice, transparency and closure they deserve. He said the DA will persist in pressing authorities to finalise the investigation without further delay.

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