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Three Dead in Soweto House Collapse as Public Works Orders CBE Probe

The Council for the Built Environment will lead a cause-of-collapse investigation.

Overview

  • A double-storey building in Doornkop, Soweto collapsed in the early hours of 28 December, killing two women and a one-year-old child.
  • Johannesburg Emergency Services reported six people were inside; three trapped survivors were extricated and taken to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital.
  • Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson has asked the Council for the Built Environment to investigate the incident.
  • The government says the inquiry will establish the cause, determine accountability, and recommend measures to prevent similar failures.
  • The tragedy follows other deadly collapses in George and Verulam, where preliminary findings pointed to formwork failure, substandard materials, and missing approved plans.