George building collapse: Minister says construction started before plans were approved

Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane did not beat around the bush today when she said the investigation into the George building collapse on May 6, 2024, revealed that the construction at 75 Victoria Street had in fact started before George Municipality had signed off on the building plans.

George Herald reports that Simelane was addressing the media in Pretoria about the outcome of the nearly year-long probe by the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) into the disaster that saw 34 people killed and many others maimed and injured.

However, in a media statement yesterday, George Municipality said it has no proof that the construction had started early, claiming everything was above board by the time plans were approved on July 6, 2023.

George Municipality’s head of communications Chantel Edwards said the municipality has not received a copy of the report under discussion and could not comment on the contents thereof. “The investigation is in the hands of the SAPS,” reads the statement.

It gave a broad overview of the municipality’s function and responsibility regarding building plans and regulations.

The municipality confirms approval of a five-storey building plan for Erf 15098 on July 6, 2023, after rezoning and site plan approvals in 2021 and 2022. “The municipality does not have evidence alluding that the construction had commenced prior to approval of the building plan,” reads the statement.

Furthermore, it noted that the NHBRC, not the municipality, handles project registration and inspections.

Edwards said a 2023/24 audit had found no significant issues with its building control, adding that the municipality has given its full support to the inquiries by the police, the Engineering Council of South Africa and the NHBRC.

Even so, South Africa’s building rules are about to get a serious overhaul following the outcome of the investigations into the deadly collapse.

Troubling alignment

The minister pointed to municipal responsibility, suggesting a troubling alignment of lapses between the George Municipality and the NHBRC.

During the Q&A, Simelane emphasised that NHBRC registration depends on prior municipal processes. “The relationship between our officials and the municipality raises concerns.”

George Municipality’s statement yesterday explains its role in the construction of a building, with specific reference to the Neo Victoria multi-storey building.

The municipality also re-released a press statement issued on May 10 last year, regarding rezoning and building applications, which details the sequence of events.

“The developer with his professional team is not obliged to submit any compliance report to the municipality,” it read.

“The normal practice is that the owner and developer, together with their professional team, will have weekly/bi-weekly or monthly meetings and inspections where progress reports are submitted to the owner/client. This practice is done with no input from the municipality and current applicable legislation does not demand that this information is submitted to the municipality.”

Critical breaches in NHBRC

The investigation slammed the NHBRC with a hefty report exposing major slip-ups, triggering a push for tougher regulations.

The almost 300-page report, containing 300 recommendations, has prompted the suspension of implicated officials, now under police investigation, as the NHBRC’s reputation takes a hit.

Simelane highlighted critical breaches in NHBRC enrolment processes, including the misregistration of the multi-storey building as a single-storey structure, irregular inspections and unaddressed safety concerns. Questions also surround the competency of technical managers, engineers and quality surveyors.

“The collapse tarnished the NHBRC’s good standing,” she said, noting systemic failures that extended beyond mere oversight.

NHBRC report

Among the report’s 300 recommendations are a dedicated peer review team for high-risk projects, full-time technical managers on-site during key phases, and a ban on staff using others’ credentials to approve applications.

Homeowners and builders will face stricter rules, and a simplified inspection request process will empower the public to flag issues. “These changes aim to restore trust and ensure safety,” Simelane concluded, as the NHBRC braces for sweeping reforms.

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