George collapse: Structural engineer shares what might have gone wrong
A structural engineer from the University of Pretoria says some issues in the sector could pose a risk to building safety in South Africa.
Rescue workers and sniffer dogs at the site of a collapsed building in George, Western Cape on 6 May 2024. Picture: Herman Pieters/Garden Route District Municipality
Africa Melane speaks with Dr Johann Van Der Merwe, Structural Engineer and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Pretoria.
Listen to the interview in the audio player below.
An investigation is being conducted into what caused a building in George to collapse with 70 construction workers on site.
Van Der Merwe says this could have been caused by many things, from an accident to a construction or design error, or even an uncontrolled situation.
ALSO READ:
George rescue efforts reach 'critical phase' - Mayor Leon Van Wyk
“It would be a bit risky to speculate.”
- Dr Johann Van Der Merwe, Structural Engineer
He says South Africa has a good engineering fraternity and nothing seems to set this building apart from others.
When any new construction project is built a structural engineer should be a part of every step of the process and sign off on its safety at each stage.
Van Der Merwe explains that structural engineers can follow guidelines on the fees they charge, but may also offer massive discounts in a competitive market.
However, he says an engineer cannot ethically do their job at those prices or time constraints.
“You would not insist on a 50% discount on fees of a surgeon that is going to operate on you or ask them to rush a two-hour operation into one hour.”
- Dr Johann Van Der Merwe, Structural Engineer
He does not argue that discounted fees are to blame but merely says it is a growing problem in the industry.
Listen to the interview in the audio player below.