Construction incidents expose failures, corruption

SOUTH Africa is grappling with a construction crisis that has resulted in a tragic spate of deaths and injuries between 2024 and 2026, with a series of building collapses occurring across the country.

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With Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape bearing the brunt of these catastrophic incidents, it becomes evident that systemic failures, regulatory lapses, and deep-seated corruption are to blame.In May 2024, a multi-storey building under construction in George, Western Cape, collapsed, claiming the lives of 34 individuals. Fast forward to December 2025, the spectre of tragedy loomed again in Verulam, KZN. Here, a four-storey building that housed a temple collapsed, resulting in the death of five more individuals. Investigative bodies revealed a disturbing pattern that echoed the previous ye