IMPERIAL LOGISTICS CONSTRUCTION STRUCTURAL COLLAPSE INQUIRY TO CONCLUDE SOON

The Imperial Logistics Construction Structural collapse inquiry
appointed by the Department of Employment and Labour to investigate the causes
of the collapsed building in Jacobs, Durban is expected to conclude its work
when it sits next week.

The affected parties in the fatal Jacobs building structural collapse
will be expected to submit and/or deliver their heads of argument in the
two-day session. The session will be held from 31 July 2019 to 01 August 2019.
The hearing is held at the KwaZulu-Natal Master Builders Association offices,
40 Essex Terrace, Westville.   

Some of the parties that were affected by the structural collapse who submitted testimony before the inquiry
included: Imperial Logistics, Tilt Up SA, Talmac Engineering, ECHO
Precast, Bedrock Construction, Archi Studio, JDF Construction, Moedi
Engineering, Benrob Construction, and ECHO Prestress.  

More than 20 witnesses have appeared before the inquiry. The Section 32
inquiry started gathering testimony on 23 February 2019. 

The inquiry was appointed following an incident on 28 March 2018, in
which Echo Prestress, a precast roofing company, was busy with the final
installation of the concrete precast roof slab. At approximately 12H30, the
precast concrete structure collapsed resulting in the deaths and injury of
workers.

The Jacobs structural collapse led to the deaths of four workers:
Bhekuyise Moses Sibiya, France Mokhuthu Sekalu, Constandino Mapukula and
Siyabonga Bhane. Four other workers were injured.

This fatal collapse caused structural damage to an adjacent building and
damages to a heavy duty vehicle which was stationed on the public road along
the perimeter fence of the facility.

The Section 32 hearing has been initiated by the Department of
Employment and Labour to investigate levels of compliance with the Occupational
Health and Safety (OHS), and negligence that caused occupational injuries and
death of workers.

Sandile Kubeka a Department of Employment and Labour Specialist:
Occupational Health & Safety is the Presiding Inspector of the Formal
Inquiry. He is assisted by Mr Lennie Samuel, a Forensic Investigator from the
Department of Employment and Labour’s Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES)
branch.

The Department of Employment and Labour is investigating the incident in
terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations. If anyone
is found to have contravened the Act or its regulations, a recommendation to
prosecute will be made to the National Prosecuting Authority.

More information from Nhlanhla Khumalo,
Tel: 031 366 2018 / Mobile: 066 488 0265 /

Email: nhlanhla.khumalo@labour.gov.za