Building collapse leads to legislative reforms

Reforms to the Building Regulations and Building Standards Act are on the cards following the Council for the Built Environment's (CBE) investigation into the causes of the Neo Victoria building collapse on 6 May 2024.

- Alida de Beer

One of the gaps the CBE identified during its investigation was that the building regulations absolve local authorities of any responsibility when something goes wrong on a project for which they approved the plans, and which their building inspectors, in terms of the act, are supposed to inspect.

Describing this contradiction, the CBE's CEO, Dr Msizi Myeza, said: "There is no obligation for them [local municipalities] to ensure that what they approve can stand the test of time."

Myeza was part of a delegation accompanying Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean MacPherson to George on Saturday 19 July, when the minister personally shared the CBE report's findings with the families and survivors impacted by the collapse.

In a media briefing afterwards, MacPherson described the closed meeting as a deeply emotional encounter, and said what made him so angry was that the tragedy had been entirely preventable.