Labour Dept approaches several foreign missions in probe of George building collapse

CAPE TOWN - The Labour Department has approached several foreign missions in its investigation into a fatal building collapse in George.

Eighty-one construction workers were on site when the building fell on Monday and most of them were not South African.

Eight deaths have been confirmed, as rescuers search for 44 artisans still trapped beneath the rubble.

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The labour department is among the entities investigating the building collapse.

Inspectors will begin their work once the police hand over the site.

While there are still people buried beneath the rubble, the 1,228 square meter erf remains an active crime scene.

In the meantime, labour officials, with the help of the international relations department, have approached foreign missions in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe for help.

Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi said that their probe would include whether the foreign nationals were permitted to work in the country.

"We have to dig deep. Let's allow these investigations because sometimes, depending on the evidence we get, they can implicate people. We have to be meticulous in our processes. We have raised concern of how some employers have preferred foreign nationals because they are cheap labour. They'll take any job because they are desperate. We are not on that issue now."

No timelines have been set for the various probes.