JOHANNESBURG - Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has called on the National Prosecuting Authority to move with speed to criminally charge and prosecute those responsible for the deadly George building collapse.
Wednesday marked two years since the tragic collapse of the building on Victoria Street in George.
A total of 34 people died and 28 others were injured when the five-storey building caved in.
“Thirty-four people cannot die and everyone just wipes their hands and say sorry. There has got to be culpability,” Macpherson.
“There are a number of people who didn’t do their jobs, people died, and those individuals must be held accountable.”
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Neo Victoria Developments, the developer behind the fatal George building collapse, was placed in liquidation, leaving the municipality struggling to recover over R9 million in rescue costs.
The property was sold for R2.85 million at auction in November 2025, with Standard Bank as the preferred creditor for the proceeds.
“In the forensic report, there were nine instances where this tragedy could have been avoided. Every one of those instances was ignored. That’s why, we have to go to court, and hold people accountable or else these things will continue to happen."
The Council for the Built Environment report found that construction protocols were flouted.
Macpherson said stronger regulatory frameworks were needed to ensure a similar tragedy is avoided in future.
He said the department was finalising a joint Cabinet report about the restructuring on the building environment.