Durban - The Tongaat Mall was destined to collapse and this could have happened at the opening, with catastrophic results, as even more people would have died.
This is the opinion of the two Department of Labour commissioners who are undertaking an inquiry into the collapse of a section of the partly built mall in November. Two workers died and 29 were injured.
One of the inquiry’s many sessions is under way and the two commissioners - chairman Phumudzo Maphaha and forensic investigator Lenni Samuel - led a site inspection at the mall on Thursday.
Aspects of what they found worried them about the stability of the structure.
“We believe that any which way, this building was destined to collapse,” Samuel said in giving an overview at the end of the inspection.
“If it had not been at that particular time, it could have collapsed at any time, possibly at the opening, which would have been catastrophic because more lives would have been lost.”
The inspection was to check if there had been any movement in the structure.
Samuel said while there had been expected and acceptable movement, which was normal, the commissioners had also found movements that were “out of the ordinary”.
The slab had been displaced in three areas, he said.
There were “signs of weakness” that were similar to that in the area that collapsed.
“To a certain extent, there were certain columns showing signs of strain.”
An outer wall on the northern side of the building would have to be demolished as it was unstable and dangerous. This was as a result of the mall not being finished.
After the collapse, work stopped on the mall, which should have opened in April.
The site is now under the control of the Department of Labour.
Asked about the eventual fate of the mall, Samuel said the department would have to take into account several reports, including an engineer’s and an assessment of the strength of the columns.
The inquiry, adjourned on Wednesday because of the lack of recording equipment, is to resume today in Durban in a law office that has voice recorders.
Daily News