George tragedy: Call for organisations to prioritise safety in workplaces

Employment and Labour Minister, Thulas Nxesi, says the collapse of the building which was under construction in George is a sobering reminder of the critical importance of prioritising safety in the workplace. 

“With the loss of lives and the entrapment of individuals, this incident has sparked a call to action for organisations to reevaluate their health and safety protocols and practices,” Nxesi said.

This comes after a multi-storey building under construction in Victoria Street, collapsed on Monday afternoon with 75 construction workers on the site at the time of the incident.

According to the latest statement issued by George Municipality on Wednesday morning, the number of patients admitted has increased to 36, with 39 people still unaccounted for. Seven people have been declared dead.

Nxesi said it is imperative to recommit to the principle that no job is worth risking the safety or lives of employees. 

“Every effort must be made to prevent similar incidents in the future. Redoubling efforts to promote a culture of safety, vigilance, and accountability within organisations is paramount.

“It is a collective responsibility to honour the memory of those lost by ensuring that their lives were not lost in vain. Strengthening the commitment to health and safety is essential. Let us work together to prevent such tragedies from occurring again,” Nxesi said.

Nxesi conveyed his heartfelt condolences to family and friends of the deceased construction workers involved in the incident and wished the survivors a speedy recovery.  

“No words can adequately express the sorrow felt for the lives lost and the anguish experienced by those awaiting news of their trapped loved ones. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time,” Nxesi said.

The Minister said the department is receiving real time information on the ground from the department’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) inspectors and inspector general, who were dispatched on site when the incident came to the department’s attention. 

“We are also aware that multiple disaster service personnel, including SAPS search and rescue teams, with sniffer dogs are involved in a rescue operation to retrieve the trapped construction workers.

“A number of construction crew on site at the time of the incident and deceased workers have been reported, but at this stage we await final confirmations,” Nxesi said.

He added the department will work through the teams on the ground and outlined protocols to communicate and update the public. 

“In terms of our processes, we will await the official handing over of the site to the department to enable us to proceed with investigations as per Section 31 and 32 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The handing over is normally preceded by the finalisation of rescue and recovery interventions,” Nxesi said. – SAnews.gov.za