Labour dept's report into George building collapse points to criminal liability of employers

The Department of Employment and Labour says its incident investigation report into last year’s George building collapse points to criminal liability on the part of employers.

It informed Parliament’s portfolio committee on Wednesday that it had now handed its findings to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). 

But it’s keeping those findings under wraps and not even sharing it with the department’s political principals, not to taint a decision by the NPA.

ALSO READ:

• George building collapse: Many share frustration over lack of support from DSD

• Social Development Dept officials in George receive tongue lashings from MPs

• MPs criticise George Municipality’s failure to answers questions about building collapse probe

• CBE: George building collapse could have been avoided if those responsible followed all construction protocols

Thirty-four people died in May last year, when an apartment building still under construction caved in, injuring more than 70 workers, most of them foreign nationals.

Chief labour inspector, Milly Ruiters, said the report into the building collapse was completed on 31 October. 

She believes the evidence is strong enough for contractors to face criminal charges.

The report was handed to the NPA last week Tuesday.

"We decided not to follow the formal inquiry process, and also not the joint inquiry process."

Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya said he had full confidence that the report would lead to those responsible for occupational health and safety lapses to be held accountable. 

"The investigation that was done, its conclusion and the report that we’ve sent to the NPA, it’s solid and we’ve covered everything, and we’ve made sure that we deal with all the matters."

The committee has heard that of the 77 workers affected by the collapse, 53 of them were foreign nationals, none of whom had work permits, and all of them confirmed by the Department of Home Affairs to have been in the country illegally.