INVESTIGATIONS are underway to determine the structural safety of a building at the corner of Anton Lembede Street and Dorothy Nyembe Street amid fears of its collapse.

Durban Metro Police have cordoned off a number of streets in the CBD. Colonel Boysie Zungu of the Durban Metro Police said that Dorothy Nyembe Street from Pixley KaSeme Street and Anton Lembede Street from Samora Machel Street are closed to traffic and will remain so until the building has been given the all-clear. “We are advising motorists and other road users to avoid the above-mentioned roads due to the collapsing building. Emergency services are on the scene,” said Zungu.

Also Read: Mayor calls for investigation into structural collapse of building in CBD

He said the building showed signs of collapse from around 19:00 on Sunday, October 27. “The reports that we got were that the building was shaking and near collapse from around 18:30. Investigations are underway to determine the safety of the building. For now, the street will remain closed. We are not sure of the timeline of when they will be re-opened. Please be patient and drive cautiously,” said Zungu.

Heavy winds experienced in Durban on Sunday are suspected to have contributed to the incident. The winds caused some metal sheets to be blown off, but thankfully, no injuries have been reported from the metal sheets falling.

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