SA laments 67 dead in Lagos

Sixty-seven South Africans have been confirmed dead after the collapse of a multistorey guest house of Nigerian preacher TB Joshua, of the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria. Photo: AP

Sixty-seven South Africans have been confirmed dead after the collapse of a multistorey guest house of Nigerian preacher TB Joshua, of the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria. Photo: AP

Published Sep 17, 2014

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Lagos - As South Africa wakes up to the news of 67 lives lost in a Nigerian building collapse, the department of international relations says it is not clear if any SA nationals were injured in the incident.

Late on Tuesday evening, President Jacob Zuma went on national television to express the nation’s mourning.

He made a call for sympathy with the families and loved ones of 67 South Africans killed in the collapse of a church building.

Sapa quoted the international relations department as saying on Wednesday morning that the number of South Africans injured was not clear.

Zuma announced that 67 South Africans were among those who died after a multi-storey guest house belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos on Friday. Scores of others were injured.

“This is a particularly difficult time for South Africa. Not in the recent history of our country have we had this large number of our people die in one incident outside the country,” Zuma said.

“As we mourn this sudden and tragic death of our fellow compatriots, I have directed the relevant government departments and entities to act with the utmost urgency to ensure that we facilitate the movement of relevant family members to Nigeria to identify the bodies of their loved ones and to ensure that we repatriate the remains as soon as possible under the circumstances.

“I would like to take this opportunity also to thank all family members and friends who have provided information to the government, which has assisted the South African high commission in Nigeria in its efforts to locate our fellow citizens.

“I would also like to commend all affected families for their patience and resolve during this very painful period.

He also thanked the Nigerian government for its support and he later told eNCA that those who died had gone to a church service not knowing they “will meet this calamity”.

“We hope that we will be able to overcome this calamity that has befallen our two countries.”

 

Over 300 South Africans were staying in the four-storey guest house on the grounds of the church when it collapsed while workers were adding two more storeys.

South African officials had learned earlier from the relatives of those at the church and through tour operators that at least five South African church tour groups were involved.

The South Africans and others were hoping to see the church’s leader, self-styled faith header TB Joshua who has been very popular for many years with South Africans, many of whom, suffering serious or even incurable illnesses, have flocked to Lagos hoping to be cured.

Those who had sought his help included former Springbok scrum-half Joost van Der Westhuizen.

* The ANC issued a statement in which it said: “This unprecedented loss of life outside our borders must bind all of us in grieving with their families. We share the grief of families who lost their loved ones whose untimely death was not anticipated as they had travelled to worship. The ANC calls on all South Africans irrespective of faith or belief to extend a hand of comfort to the bereaved families as they contend with this grief. We extend our heartfelt condolences to all families including other nationals who lost their loved ones and wish those injured speedy recovery. Let us in unison wish their souls to rest in peace.”

* The DA also extended its condolences. “We also extend our condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of all those who died in this horrific tragedy. The DA calls for co-operation between the South African government and the government of Nigeria to ensure that the deceased are returned home. We join Africa in mourning the deceased who died in this tragedy,” DA MP Stevens Mokgalapa said.

Background

* Although the building collapsed on Friday and the South African consul-general and his staff had been on the site since early Saturday morning, they had not been able to establish by Tuesday morning for certain if any South Africans had been killed or badly injured. The full extent of the calamity only dawned later.

They had suspected many South Africans were probably injured or even killed but couldn’t get any reliable information from the Nigerian authorities. “The building collapsed on Friday. How can you not know on Tuesday whether there were any South Africans injured?” one irritated official had said.

The full horror of the accident began to emerge as the South African diplomats on the ground in Lagos began to get confirmation of the South African casualties.

* Joshua, now in his early sixties, established the church in 1994 and runs it more like a hospital than a church. It has different sections, including an emergency unit for the seriously ill and a children’s unit.

He has tried to implicate Islamic extremists in the building collapse, publishing a video purporting to show a mysterious aircraft flying low over the building four times before the disaster.

He told a televised service on Sunday that his church had been targeted before by Nigeria’s home-grown Boko Haram extremist group. He told congregants that enemies were trying to keep them from his church, but not to worry since he was the main target.

But Ibrahim Farinloye of the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency said the building appears to have collapsed because of poor construction work.

He said workers were trying to build two additional floors on to an existing four-storey structure without reinforcing the foundations. More than 1 000 rescuers from several agencies were at the scene and have rescued 131 survivors.

IOL, Cape Times

* The figures for dead and injured people in this disaster are still being collated. IOL will use the latest figures available to us, but be aware the numbers will fluctuate as the story is updated.

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