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News24 reports that two days before the collapse of the five-storey building in George that claimed the lives of 34 people, a contractor observed unusual building movements and vibrations on the roof slab.
The contractor, Richard Kyle Andrews, also noted cracks around the base of a column on the ground floor that resembled punch-through patterns. And in the basement, he and his boss questioned the supporting columns' narrow dimensions, and the large spaces between them. The absence of critical features, such as slab expansion joints, raised further alarm. But, Andrews told investigators appointed by the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC), that engineering firm Liatel Developments downplayed these concerns. Liatel Developments was the appointed contractor of the Neo Victoria multi-storey apartment block, which was almost complete. The building collapsed in May, three months before it was supposed to have been occupied. Andrews' account is among several other unheeded warnings in a report that details the enrolment and inspection failures that allowed significant structural defects to go unnoticed at 75 Victoria Street. These include intentionally concealed cracks not adequately addressed, contributing to the deadly collapse. Andrews was not the only one who issued early warnings. Another sub-contractor, Joseph Ntethe, warned of cracks starting to appear as early as 2023. In the report, both Andrews and Ntethe submitted detailed affidavits on cascades of failures that ostensibly contributed to the tragedy.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Iavan Pijoos at News24 (subscription or trial registration required)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page