WATCH: Families of George construction workers hunker down while hoping for good news
One mother is waiting to hear if her 18-year-old son has made it after the building site he and 74 others were working on collapsed on Monday.
Seventy-five construction employees were on site when the multi-storey apartment complex collapsed in George on Monday 6 May 2024. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/Eyewitness News
GEORGE - Anxious families awaiting news about their trapped relatives have gathered at the site of a fatal building collapse in George.
At least six construction workers died when the residential block they were working on caved in under them.
Seventy-five people were working on the site at the time of the collapse.
ALSO READ:
- George building collapse: Marathon rescue operation to save trapped construction workers continues
- IN PICS: Aftermath of the deadly George building collapse
Dozens of families chose to spend the night at the George municipal hall adjacent to the crash site in the hope of being close when news of their loved one breaks.
For many still huddled on a cordoned off section for the pavement, there’s been no news yet.
Savon Msiska has been pacing about since late on Monday afternoon.
Her 18-year-old son, Gift, is among the trapped construction workers.
Initially, Gift was able to maintain cell communication with his mother.
But his phone has now run out of power.
“I’m waiting for my son, I don’t know anything for now. I’m just in shock. I’m not ok.”
Savon Msiska is anxiously waiting for more information on her 18-year-old son Gift Kasonda. She’s been waiting here since 15:00 yesterday afternoon after she lost contact with him.
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) May 7, 2024
She’s asked South Africans to keep her son and the other workers in their prayers - @ietskaylo pic.twitter.com/hBfWDRBSGf
Every time the rescue hounds bark to signal human sent, Msiska’s hope grows that it could be her son.
“I’m praying. We pray everyone will be fine. For now, we don’t know anything.”
She’s just returned from the George provincial hospital to find out her son was not among the building collapse fatalities.
This is enough, she said, to believe her son would be pulled from the rubble alive.