MEDIA STATEMENT: 9am Update on Building Collapse Site

Issued by the Garden Route District JOC/George Municipality, 12 May 2024, 09:00

We wish all mothers a Happy Mother’s Day, with a special tribute to the mothers at the site of the collapsed building who are tirelessly working on rescue and recovery efforts. Our thoughts are also with those mothers who are anxiously waiting for news about their loved ones, the mothers that are still trapped and those who have tragically lost their mothers. We salute everyone from the emergency services and firefighters to the women supporting the rescuers. Your strength and dedication are truly inspiring.

Rescue and recovery efforts continue into the sixth day at the site of the collapsed building at 75 Victoria Street. As of 09:00 on May 12, 2024, marking the 139th hour of operations, the confirmed statistics are as follows:

– Total individuals on-site during the incident: 81
– Rescued and recovered: 45
– Of which deceased: 16
– Currently hospitalized: 14
– Unaccounted for: 36

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, is scheduled to visit the site later today for an official briefing.

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 12pm on Sunday, 12 May 2024.