Ravi faces questioning by Tongaat mall commission

Ravi Jagadasan admitted to going ahead with construction of the Tongaat Mall in full knowledge that the plans had not been approved and in the face of numerous “stop builds” from Ethekwini municipality.

This was revealed today at the Commission of Inquiry held at the civic buildings in Tongaat. The commission is investigating the mall’s collapse that killed two people and injured 29 others in November last year.

Jagadasan is the son of controversial businessman Jay Singh whose company, Gralio was responsible for the construction of the Mall.

Jagadasan is also the sole member of Rectangle Properties, the company that owns the property on which the mall was being built as well as being a director of Gralio.

The 31-year-old man claimed that he allowed building to continue based on the pre-approved plans.

When the Commission presiding officer, Phumudzo Maphaha asked why he did not wait for the plans to be approved, Jagadasan claimed that he was “advised to continue”.

When pressed to name the person who advised him he said it was their “professional team, the architects”.

Jagadasan also claimed to have received permission from the court to continue construction. Maphaha requested he supply this document to the commission within 24 hours.

However when Ethekwini Municipality advocate Ian Topping brought to his attention a stop build notice that was issued on April 8, 2013, after the before mentioned court case, Jagadasan refused to answer the question as to why he had still continued with construction.

Finally Jagadasan claimed that when the final stop build was issued he had instructed Gralio to stop building.

“So it came as a surprise to you that work had continued when you saw in the news that the mall had collapsed?,” asked Maphaha.

“Yes, that is correct.”