Cape Town - Rescue crews working to locate construction workers trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed building in George are in for a long and challenging weekend.
The multi-storey apartment in Victoria Street collapsed on Monday. It was initially reported that 75 workers were on site when it collapsed.
More than 70 hours after the tragedy first occurred, 37 people have been retrieved from the rubble while eight were found deceased.
Forty-four people remain unaccounted for, which differs from earlier reports of 38. This comes as authorities dropped a bombshell on Thursday morning that the number of people trapped underneath the debris had increased.
On the day of the tragedy, there were electricians, painters, and construction workers present, including several female cleaners.
The total number of people on site at the time of the incident was 81.
Local Government MEC Anton Bredell said the change in figures was picked up by the Department of Labour.
“The Department of Labour took all the documents from the site office, secured the documents and started with it systematically,” he explained.
“However, it was determined that they are missing people after working through the list. That is how the number went up 75 to 81.
“They contacted the contractor to help. Some of the people were documented on their nickname and not on their ID number.”
Seven of the surviving workers were roped in to assist the authorities on where everyone was on the day as well as the type of clothing they were wearing.
“For us it is also difficult because where we were looking for 38 people is now 44,” Bredell said.
A total of 3 000 cubic tons of concrete must still be removed from the site in the ongoing rescue response.
The building site has so far provided a range of difficulties for rescue workers.
Colin Deiner, the chief director of Western Cape Provincial Disaster Services, said on Wednesday that heavier equipment was being brought in.
“We are moving away from rescue equipment to demolition equipment. It doesn’t mean we are moving from rescue to recovery, but we have to change the equipment to the conditions of the building,” Deiner said.
Once the slabs are lifted, sniffer dogs will come in and assist with the search and rescue.
The large machinery will be on site for the next few days as authorities aim to locate those who are still trapped in the wreck.
The Western Cape government has also brought in three independent engineers to assess the incident.
Engineers such as Professor Richard Walls from Stellenbosch University's Structural Engineering Department are also assessing the site.
More than 200 rescue personnel from the City of Cape Town, Breede Valley and Worcester, including volunteers, are still searching for the remaining workers.
The City has deployed several firefighters to George since Monday.
The two groups of five firefighters rotate after every six hours.
Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City’s Fire and Rescue Services, described it as a humbling experience to be part of an operation of this magnitude.
“Sharing the knowledge that we have and the equipment as well with the different services.
“The biggest thing was how everyone came on board in securing and rescuing the trapped survivors,” Carelse said.
Over the last three days, volunteers from George and surrounding areas have played a crucial part in assisting with the search and rescue.
One volunteer, Ayahka Magxotwa, told the “Cape Argus” it is a traumatic experience as one doesn’t know what to expect.
“We need to have an appreciation of life because we don’t know what to expect tomorrow,” he said.
The families of those who are missing are still being housed at the City Hall.
Meanwhile, an investigation into what caused the building to collapse is under way.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has further called on the entire construction industry to pay attention to health and safety protocols on sites.
Mlondolozi Limaphi, NUM Western Cape deputy regional secretary, said such health and safety protocols should be decided and enforced by all stakeholders including labour.
Limaphi said: “Thus, the NUM strongly believes that the unfortunate death of eight workers and the entrapment of workers under the rubble could have been avoided by all parties involved in the construction project if health and safety was a priority instead of profits.”
“The death of these construction workers is as a result of capitalist exploitation and barbarism,” Limaphi added.