Grief-stricken families stood at a distance, separated by yellow police tape, watching silently as government officials inspected the ruins of what should have been a place of opportunity, not death.
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has called on the owners of New Order NIV to come forward and account for the nine employees who died during the construction of a warehouse in Ormonde, south of Johannesburg on Monday.
Large sections of the structure remain standing, towering over the debris where lives were lost. The area has been cordoned off, with police maintaining a tight perimeter as investigations continue.
Macpherson described the incident as part of a troubling pattern, noting that this is the third building collapse in recent months — referencing incidents in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal, and the George building collapse in the Western Cape.
“We must understand what is behind these collapses and what we can do as government. We must confront whether there are systemic conditions behind these tragedies,” he said.
Visibly concerned, the minister added:
“Buildings are not built to collapse. No one expects anyone to die during construction. They should be monuments of excellence. This is now a monumental tragedy.”
He made a direct appeal:
“I am calling on the owners of New Order NIV to come forward and take accountability for what is happening here. Any member of the public who knows where the owner is must contact the local SAPS.”
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said preliminary observations suggest that basic construction safety steps may not have been followed.
“Some basic steps were not followed. It worries me. It hurts me. These are mistakes that we should not tolerate. We are the economic hub — this should not happen. I don’t want to jump the gun because I don’t know exactly what happened.”
Lesufi also pointed out the proximity of key infrastructure.
“You can see Eskom infrastructure is next to the building, and this is close to a main road.”
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero confirmed that all nine bodies have now been accounted for, while three injured workers remain in hospital.
