Pretoria - Months after the roof collapse at a restaurant at the N1 north Petroport, one of the victims is still seeking answers.
David Maluleko, 45, from Soshanguve, was having a business meeting at the Steers outlet on May 20 when the roof collapsed on top of him, knocking him out.
Now he claims Steers and Total SA are passing the buck on who should take responsibility.
“I work in trucking and I was there for a meeting with two of my colleagues,” Maluleko said.
“One block fell at first and I saw the waitresses telling the manager but he told them to carry on working.”
He said there were other blocks from the ceiling that were missing.
“A few minutes later a second block fell. And then the ceiling just collapsed on top of us.”
Maluleko said he tried to escape but was knocked out by the falling rubble, A few seconds later when he regained consciousness, rubble was still falling on top of him.
He was treated by paramedics at the scene and then transported to Montana Hospital where he was told he had suffered concussion from the rubble that fell on his head.
After being discharged on the same day, his medical aid footed the bill for a computerised tomography (CT) scan, ambulance fees, blood tests, medication and for the hospital bed.
“I also needed to go for follow-up consultations but when I went to the second consultation I was told my medical aid had no funds.”
He said the “people at Steers had promised to pay for the medical expenses of those who were injured during the roof collapse but now they seem to be ducking and diving”.
“The people at Steers told me that they were renting the building from Total SA and that I should refer to them.
“However, the people at Total say the collapse happened at the restaurant.”
Maluleko said all he wants is for either company to take responsibility for what happened and fulfil the promise to pay for his medical expenses.
He has also sought legal advice on how to take the matter forward.
Some of the lasting side-effects of the concussion are insomnia, headaches and anxiety.
“Being in dark spaces like a lift or a dark room gives me anxiety.”
Casper Badenhorst, of Steers, referred questions to Meesterplan insurance company, saying they were dealing with claims from the incident.
Mari Engelmann, from Meesterplan, said that in terms of the FAIS (financial advisory and intermediary services) legislation and the Protection of Personal Information Act, they could not disclose any information.
Total SA’s Nadia Vosloo said she needed more time to respond to questions posed to her by the Pretoria News.
Pretoria News