Construction of the new Tongaat Mall has begun after collapse in 2013

WORKERS on site of the ill-fated Tongaat Mall aim to finish it by November, after it collapsed in 2013. NKULULEKO NENE

WORKERS on site of the ill-fated Tongaat Mall aim to finish it by November, after it collapsed in 2013. NKULULEKO NENE

Published Feb 10, 2020

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Durban - Construction of the new Tongaat Mall has begun. Work resumed last month after tons of rubble, left behind when the structure of a mall built by businessman Jay Singh was demolished, had to be removed.

Singh’s building had partially collapsed in 2013, killing two people and injuring several others.

After the collapse and a commission of inquiry by the Department of Labour, Singh sold the land to AJ Property Holdings, in partnership with Proproyale Developments.

While six employees who worked on Singh’s project have now been employed by the new developer, they still had flashbacks of the tragedy in which their co-workers died.

Zimele Shiya’s missing front teeth are a constant reminder of his close brush with death. He said he was hit on the head by the falling rubble.

“I remember everyone screaming and ducking away from a cloud of dust when the structure fell. A loose pile of steel crashed on the back of my head. The impact sent me crashing to the dusty floor,” he recalled.

The 42-year-old bricklayer from a neighbouring village in Ndwedwe said he was grateful to be back at work.

“After the site closed, I went back home to look after cattle. I had no formal work until they called me back late last year”, said Shiya.

Others who have been re-employed are Ntobeko Mzingithi, 44, Mthuthuzeli Sigibi, 32, Zukile Mathosha, 44, Nkosivumile Njeje, 44, from the Eastern Cape and 61-year-old Robert Luthuli from Zululand.

Most of them felt betrayed by

both Singh and the Department of Labour because they said were not compensated.

“We have lost faith in the system after failing us. Too many promises were made during the commission. Some of us, who are not here, lost limbs and suffered excruciating pain,” Mzingithi added.

WORKERS on site of the ill-fated Tongaat Mall aim to finish it by November, after it collapsed in 2013. NKULULEKO NENE

He said accepting the offer to return to the site was not easy but he had to provide for his family.

Singh’s spokesperson Pastor Mervyn Reddy said according to Gralio Precast, the contractor, all hospital bills were paid through the workmen’s compensation fund. He denied Singh owed anyone any money.

“We never got involved with the compensation fund because that is for the Department of Labour to sort (out),” Reddy said.

Construction workers Zwelibanzi Masuku, 51, and bricklayer Zakithi Nxumalo, 28, died and 29 were injured when a section of the mall collapsed in November 2013.

Sigibi was hit in both legs and elbows, and it took him three weeks to recover. He said he had to go

back home to the Eastern Cape after the accident. “I could not afford rent. After my injuries, nobody wanted to employ me because I was deemed unfit to carry heavy work. I went everywhere looking for a job, but I was ignored,” he said.

Mzingithi, who was treated for head injuries after the rubble fell on him, said he remembered little. Njeje revealed a scar on his stomach.

Seelan Naidu, the project manager of SABI Construction, the contractor hired by the new developers, said it was cautious not to repeat the same mistake as the previous contractor.

He said an engineering expert

paid monthly visits on-site to assess the structure. “We had to remove the entire old structure, which is why it took so long. We are racing against time, the mall has to be completed by November. We only hope for perfect weather throughout the project to meet the deadline,” he said.

Project community liaison officer Winnie Madela said she was aware that other survivors would be called later into the project.

“Some sustained deep injuries that affected their ability to carry out heavy duties but later in the project, they will be called to do less demanding duties,” she said.

The Department of Labour had not responded at the time of going to print.

Sunday Tribune

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