Red Sea on fire as US acts on Israel's behalf

No answers since George building collapse

- SÖZARN BARDAY

IT'S been almost a year since a building collapse in George, killing 34 people and injuring many others. As the anniversary looms, there are still more questions than answers, and the accountability feels as far away as it did last May.

The contractor embroiled in the disaster, Theuns Kruger of Liatel Developments, insists that his company was not responsible. In fact, he says Liatel was misrepresented in documents and listed as the developer without consent. He also intends to take legal action against those he claims are truly responsible.

But at the same time Human Settlements Minister, Thembi Simelane, has a different view and says Liatel and the NHBRC will face similar criminal charges. What is clear is that multiple systems failed the official report has confirmed that while good materials were never used, the building was never designed to support the load.

The NHBRC did not pick this up, and the engineer "disappeared" after the collapse, with several procedures skipped or ignored entirely. The building was registered as a single-storey structure when it was clearly not.

Somewhere in the middle of all this are the victims and their families, still waiting for justice, still left in the dark.

The official report found major failures in both structural design and the oversight processes.

Now, the GOOD Party is asking for the full report to be made public and tabled before council. They are right in doing so.

People have died, families were destroyed and survivors like Ivaldo Macamo, who lost his leg, are living with the consequences every day. Macamo's partner has become the sole breadwinner for their children. They still have not heard a word from any officials.

The survivors don't need legal jargon or blame games, they need answers.

The City, NHBRC, and everyone involved owe it to the people of George to be honest, transparent and accountable.

Nothing less will do. BOMBS are dropping.