Another glimmer of hope: South African rescuers who have been working for three days to clear the rubble of a building under construction which collapsed on Monday in George estimated on Thursday that workers could have survived. “The basement is largely intact… We believe there could be people alive there,” Colin Deiner, head of the rescue operation, told national broadcaster SABC.
“We might stay in rescue mode for a little longer,” he added, after authorities had previously said operations would enter the “body recovery” phase as the chances of survival drop significantly as a result. beyond three days.
This tragedy has already left 8 dead and the toll could rise considerably. The authorities on Thursday revised upwards the number of workers missing under the rubble, bringing it to 44.
This rectification follows “careful examination of the safety records” of the companies involved on this site, which revealed that 81 people were on the site at the time of the accident and not 75, as previously announced, declared the municipality.
The reasons for the collapse, which occurred early Monday afternoon, remain unknown. Construction plans for this 42-apartment building were approved in July.
Police said they have not yet been able to contact the owner of the site and have sent him a summons.
The Minister of Labor refused to comment on speculation that many of the workers on the site were foreigners, particularly those in an irregular situation.
“These are not foreigners but human beings,” he declared on the spot, specifying however that Pretoria was in contact with the embassies of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.
In all, 29 people were pulled out alive from the rubble, including 22 seriously injured, according to an update from the town hall on Thursday.
