Another building collapse claims five lives in Ngcobo

Five people have died and four people were critically injured after part of a building collapsed in Ngcobo in the Dr AB Xuma local municipality of the Eastern Cape.

The mayor of the municipality, Siyabulela Zangqa, confirmed that part of a building on the R61 Main Road collapsed on Friday afternoon.

Five dead, four critially injured, seven in hospital

The tragic incident left five people (two males and three females) dead, four critically injured at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha, seven currently at All Saints Hospital in Ngcobo, and three people discharged.

Zangqa expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased.

The mayor, together with chief whip Nobuntu Mgidi and members of the executive committee, joined emergency personnel who engaged in rescue efforts, rushing injured patients to All Saints Hospital.

“This is indeed a tragic incident, and my thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones in this disastrous event. We would also like to thank community members for assisting and showing support in this dreadful period,” the mayor said.

“We are praying for a full and speedy recovery for those that are injured.”

ALSO READ: UPDATE: Death toll from George building collapse rises to 14

Zangqa also commended the disaster management team, emergency personnel, police, and other entities that were part of the rescue operation.

Earlier on Friday afternoon, the Eastern Cape health department said that 13 people were rushed to All Saints Hospital, where they were being treated for various injuries.

“We send our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. More details will be provided in due course,” the department said.

The incident in the Eastern Cape comes after a multi-storey building that was still under construction in Victoria Street, collapsed on Monday afternoon.

George building collapse death toll rises

ALSO READ: George building collapse: ‘Basement is largely intact,’ say rescuers in hopes of finding survivors

The Western Cape government confirmed on Friday afternoon that the death toll regarding the death toll had risen to 14.

This comes after five more bodies were recovered on Friday.

The Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs, and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, indicated that search efforts are ongoing for the 39 workers that are still trapped.

According to the George municipality, of the 81 people on-site at the time of the incident, 40 were hospitalised, with 13 still in the hospital and 41 remaining unaccounted for.