Survivors of George building collapse ‘falling through the cracks’

The lack of a clear strategy to assist survivors of the Neo Victoria building collapse in George after their discharge from hospital has seemingly left them to fend for themselves while trying to make sense of the traumatic experience and heal from their physical injuries.

“They were superbly managed in hospital, discharged into squalor in Thembalethu and are now destitute,” says Rotarian Donald Goldfain.

Some received food parcels, some did not; some are partially registered at the Department of Employment and Labour and Department of Social Development (DSD) and some are not, he adds.

“They face eviction from their shacks because there is no income. No one has contacted them and in our opinion, at least one needs medical care.

“These are amputees and people with broken limbs and some who are basically immobile and helpless. George and our community covered ourselves in glory in pulling these survivors out of the rubble and saving lives. The country applauded, but now they do not know who to turn to.”

Caring individual

The survivors’ plight was brought to Rotary’s attention last week.

Savern Oroogi, a caring Georgian from the local Bahá’í community who assisted victims from the beginning as a Portuguese interpreter, remained involved with those she got to know while at the civic centre and in hospital.

She helps them to get to a doctor, fetches prescriptions, brings food and gives much-needed emotional support. But almost two months after the building collapsed on May 6, Oroogi realised that she couldn’t handle it all herself.

She turned to her neighbour, Rotarian Wilhelm van der Vyver, for help. He alerted the club president, Di Kershaw, and the survivors’ predicament was brought to the media’s attention. A meeting was then set for Monday at the DSD’s regional office.

Garden Route Disaster Management; Department of Employment and Labour; George Municipality; members of Rotary; Muriel Hau-Yoon, a volunteer who was actively involved in humanitarian relief during the collapse; and DSD social workers were present. Kenneth Mazaleni, the acting lead for the humanitarian support cluster, chaired the meeting.

Incomplete victims list

“The purpose was to identify gaps in the humanitarian relief and psychosocial support system. One of the main challenges identified was that humanitarian relief was done in silos,” said Wouter Jacobs, co-ordinator of Garden Route Disaster Management.

He said it was discovered that the victims list that DSD was working on, was incomplete, which might have resulted in victims or their next of kin falling through the cracks.

A consolidated disaster beneficiary list of all victims and survivors and their relatives was due to be created yesterday. DSD will use the list for a needs analysis based on what has been done and who still needs help.

In an official response to a query from George Herald, DSD said: “DSD will continue to provide psychosocial support to the families it was able to trace.

“DSD was asked to conduct a needs assessment of these families and make the necessary referrals to the various organisations. The distribution of funds and/or donations remains the responsibility of the receiving organisations. Families needing to be assessed can visit the local office so they can be referred to the relevant organisations.”

Municipal fund

Asked about the municipal fund started for donations for victims during the collapse, Chantèl Edwards, the head of communications at George Municipality, said donations were received from 148 individuals and organisations and totalled R173 000.

A memorandum of agreement has been finalised and signed with Families South Africa (Famsa), which will be administering the funds on behalf of the municipality.

“They will ensure that reporting and governance controls are in place. The funds were transferred to Famsa last week. Structures have been put in place to co-ordinate the relief efforts of the many different organisations involved, which includes George Municipality, and as needs are received for individuals, these will be evaluated for the best method of assistance.”