JOHANNESBURG - The owner of the building in Ormonde, south of Johannesburg, which collapsed and left nine people dead Monday, is nowhere to be found.
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson have now called on members of the public to assist authorities in locating the owner.
Macpherson also urged the developer of the building to come forward and take accountability for the tragedy.
He was speaking outside the building on Tuesday just a day after the incident.
READ | Six dead after building collapsed in Johannesburg
On Monday, emergency authorities rushed to Amethyst Business Park after reports of a building collapse.
Upon arrival, authorities confirmed that six people had died while others remained trapped.
At the time, 12 people were in the building when the second-floor deck collapsed.
Rescue teams embarked on a search and rescue operation for those still trapped under the rubble.
The operation was marred by challenges, among them the instability of the building, forcing authorities to move with caution to avoid any secondary collapse.
By Tuesday morning, the death toll had risen to nine, with the ninth body retrieved from the rubble. Three others are in hospital.
READ | UPDATE: Death toll in Ormonde building collapse rises to 9
Macpherson said with the rescue efforts now concluded, attention will now shift to the building, which has since been confirmed as not structurally sound.
According to Joburg Mayor Dada Morero, who conducted a site visit earlier in the day, the city was not furnished with formal plans for the building structure, flouting city by-laws and building control regulations.
READ | COJ to demolish collapsed Ormonde building
Macpherson said before the city can demolish the building the owner will be given an opportunity to do so.
Should they fail, the City of Johannesburg will step in and carry out the process itself.
At the same time, he said the City Manager will now have to consider reviewing other buildings constructed to determine whether they meet the required standard.
City Manager, Floyd Brink said they will be meeting with building and landlord inspectors to do an audit in the area.
He said they should be able to respond in the next coming weeks on the matter