MEDIA STATEMENT: 3pm Update on Building Collapse Site, 12 May 2024, 15:00

Seven days into the rescue and recovery efforts at the site of the collapsed building at 75 Victoria Street operations are still ongoing. As of 3pm on May 12, 2024, marking the 145th hour of operations, the confirmed statistics are as follows:

– Total estimated individuals on-site during the incident: 81
– Rescued and recovered: 48
– Of which deceased: 19
– Currently hospitalized: 14
– Unaccounted for: 33

The Joint District Operations Centre adheres to a stringent double verification protocol to ensure the accuracy of the reported numbers. This is done in close collaboration with recovery teams, hospitals, and forensic services.
The National Minister of Police, Mr. Bheki Cele, was briefed by the Garden Route District Municipality and George Municipality Joint Operations Centre (JOC), followed by an official media briefing. Additionally, the Minister visited the families of the victims to check up on their wellbeing and express his continued support.
We urgently call for professional psychosocial support practitioners proficient in Chewa, Portuguese, and Shona languages to assist survivors and their families. Interested practitioners can contact Kholiswa Jobela at 078 210 5972 or Apolus Swart at 061 504 4205.

An update will be issued by 6pm on Sunday, 12 May 2024.