The construction site on David Place in Ballito, where a worker was seriously injured in a bank collapse on April 22, had previously been shut down for non-compliance with safety regulations.

The worker was partially buried beneath soil and rubble for more than an hour before being rescued and hospitalised with broken bones.

READ: Work temporarily halted at Ballito construction site following bank collapse | North Coast Courier

Following the incident, officials from KwaDukuza municipality’s (KDM) local economic development and planning department inspected the site. Preliminary findings indicate the collapse was likely caused by an unstable earth embankment.

KDM spokesperson Bridget Shange confirmed the site had a history of safety concerns.

“The site is currently not compliant,” she said.

“Contravention notices were issued last year, and the matter has since been escalated to the development enforcement office for further action.”

Due to the exposed embankment and the risk it poses to nearby residents and the public, KDM has only permitted limited remedial work. This is subject to strict conditions, including the appointment of a qualified engineer to stabilise the embankment and ensure the site is made safe.

The Department of Labour and the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) have also been notified.

This marks the second bank collapse at a Ballito construction site and the third serious construction-related incident in the area in two years. In May last year, a contractor drowned in Salt Rock after a trench collapsed, while four workers were killed days later in a separate bank collapse on Zen Drive.

Although no fatalities occurred in the latest incident, it has renewed concerns about construction safety on the rapidly developing North Coast.

Attempts to obtain comment from the homeowner and construction company were unsuccessful.