Building collapse in Thohoyandou CBD raises safety concerns
Thulamela municipal manager, Masala Makumule said the municipality is in the process of instituting formal investigation as to the cause of the collapse.
LIMPOPO – The collapse of an old building in the busy Thohoyandou Central Business District (CBD) last Monday morning has raised questions as to the safety of structures and adherence to building regulations, particularly in relation to older buildings in the area.
The Rambuda Complex, known as the Star Glass building, which is more than 40 years old and one of the town’s oldest and first buildings in the era of President Patrick Mphephu collapsed at around 09:30, affecting nearly all activities in its surrounds.
Business owners and hawkers plying their trades in the area were worst affected as they could not further operate for the day.
Vhembe District Disaster Management, health services, police and other stakeholders took control of the scene and an elderly woman, who was injured by falling bricks, was taken to a local hospital and treated for injuries.
One of the eyewitnesses, who didn’t want to be named, sold food in the immediate vicinity of the collapse.
“I was cooking food to sell to my daily customers, when I heard a loud sound, almost like a speeding car crashing into a wall. I left my pots and tents unattended and rushed to where the noise had come from. Before I could figure out what was happening, I noticed a collapsed roof and wall collapsing in the direction I was in, and I decided to run for safety. I have never witnessed something as strange as this, and I am still startled,” she told CV.
Thulamela municipal manager, Masala Makumule, who is also a qualified town planner, said the municipality is in the process of instituting formal investigation as to the cause of the collapse.
Makumule said they had four inspectors from his municipality who had already identified buildings that need to upgraded and refurbished.
“We are saddened by the incident, and what we have learnt is that we have to speed up our investigations to ensure people are safe, rather than wait for another dangerous collapse. We are in a process of developing bylaws that will enable us to demolish unsafe buildings.” He added that they had already identified buildings that were no longer in line with Vision 2030, which aims to see Thohoyandou reach city status by 2030.
