Minister Dean Macpherson visits site of Shembe wall collapse

Following a visit to the site of a wall collapse at the Nazareth Baptist Church in Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal, on Tuesday, the Minister of Public Works & Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, extended his sympathies to those injured in the collapse and vowed to work together with the church to improve construction projects at the complex and prevent similar incidents in the future. 

Twelve people were injured, four of whom remain in hospital, after a wall at the Nazareth Baptist Church complex collapsed on Monday afternoon. After meeting with elders of the church, the Minister said the church welcomed further investigation by the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) into the circumstances surrounding the collapse before construction resumes at the site. 

He further said that the consultations with the Nazareth Baptist Church formed part of ongoing stakeholder engagements on the recently announced Integrated Social Facilitation Framework, which seeks to prevent future building collapses in South Africa. “Having visited the site of the collapse today, I share the belief of the Shembe Church that it is by the grace of God that no lives were lost when the wall collapsed. I am sincerely grateful to the church for welcoming me to the complex this morning. 

I extend my heartfelt thoughts and prayers to those injured in the collapse and will visit them in hospital personally to wish them well in their recovery,” Minister Macpherson said. “This morning, I also committed to the church elders that we would work with the church, through the Council for the Built Environment, to strengthen building practices, prevent future collapses and ensure the safety of buildings at the church and across the country.

As the Department of Public Works & Infrastructure, we are committed to working with all stakeholders to prevent building collapses and improve regulations to ensure that we protect the lives of all South Africans. By working together, we can build a better South Africa.” 

Enquiries:  
James de Villiers         
Spokesperson to Minister Macpherson   
E-mail: james.devilliers@dpw.gov.za      
Cell: 082 766 0276

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