Owner urged to come forward after Ormonde building collapse

2026-03-03 - 15:13

All 12 people who were inside the Johannesburg building that collapsed on Monday have now been accounted for, as public works and infrastructure minister Dean McPherson calls for the owner to come forward. The City of Johannesburg has transferred control of the site at Amethyst Business Park in Ormonde to the South African Police Service (Saps). The police will conduct an investigation. Once the police have completed their operation, Saps will hand the site over to the Department of Labour. The tragic building collapse resulted in the loss of nine lives. Three people who sustained injuries during the collapse are currently receiving medical care in the hospital. MCC confirms the nationality of 12 victims During an oversight visit, Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero, MMCs, the city manager and senior officials confirmed that all twelve people believed to have been inside the building have been accounted for. They were inside at the time of the collapse. The city confirmed that victims of the incident include both South African and Lesotho nationals. “The city is working closely with relevant authorities to ensure that next of kin are identified and formally notified through the appropriate channels,” the mayor said in a statement. ALSO READ: Collapsed Ormonde building appears to have been illegal, set to be demolished McPherson expressed deep condolences to the families of the nine individuals who died. He also paid tribute to the rescue workers who risked their lives to save those trapped under the rubble. “No words will ever be able to capture the pain of losing a loved one in such a devastating manner, particularly those who are breadwinners and working every day just to be able to support their families,” the minister said. The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has extended full support to the province of Gauteng and the City of Johannesburg. Minister McPherson urges owner to come forward McPherson said it is premature to speculate about the cause of the collapse. He stressed that investigators must conduct a thorough probe to establish the facts and hold those responsible accountable. Monday’s incident was the third building collapse in a few months. The minister said this shows the need to understand the systemic conditions contributing to these tragedies. “I want to call on the company that constructed this building, or if you order inventory, to come forward and to take accountability for what has gone on here. Or if any member of the public knows where the owner of this company is, to immediately contact the Saps or local law enforcement,” McPherson said. ALSO READ: Six dead in Johannesburg building collapse He said gaps in oversight, compliance, and accountability emerge when systems do not operate in a fully coordinated manner. The minister emphasised that supporting the affected families remains the priority. He asked the public to allow investigators to do their work without speculation. The Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Jomo Sibiya, joined the city during the visit and conducted an on-site inspection. Company didn’t submit approved building plans – Labour Dept Sibiya said the company responsible for the site allegedly did not submit approved building plans. He added that this makes the site illegal and that the validity of the construction permit is still under investigation. The department will conduct a section 31 investigation to identify the causes and hold responsible parties accountable. “Ours is to make sure that whatever happened here never happens again. In all these things that we are seeing, we want to clamp down on the level of non-compliance in the country and Johannesburg,” the deputy minister said. ALSO READ: Doornfontein explosion: Mystery flammable liquid tanks and cylinders found [VIDEO] He added that the department will collaborate with the city to improve inspection and enforcement. Sibiya said authorities will take strict action against non-compliant parties, including imposing steep fines and pursuing possible prosecution. The investigation will guide decisions on whether to prosecute or take other actions. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi extended his condolences to the families of the deceased. He acknowledged the painful moments they are going through. He assured the families that his team had already begun gathering information to provide answers. Support for families “I’m just here to welcome the minister, who’s overall in charge so that both national and local governments can synchronise our investigations, gather the necessary evidence, and determine the best way to handle this kind of situation,” Lesufi said. The premier said preliminary information indicates that officials still need to conduct further groundwork. This is to establish the full details of the incident. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa said he expects that an inquiry into the collapse will provide answers to the families of the deceased and survivors. He added that such an inquiry will help prevent a similar tragedy in future. NOW READ: City Power rules out transformer explosion as reason for Joburg building collapse