Families mourn as Verulam temple construction site collapse claims five lives

A FAMILY of one of the workers who was among five people who died when a building under construction collapsed at River Range Ranch in Redcliffe, Verulam on Friday are demanding answers on what went wrong and accountability from those leading the project.

- THAMI MAGUBANE

One person, speaking on condition of confidentiality, said the death of her partner was an immeasurable loss for her and her child, whom he loved and cared for deeply. By yesterday, it had been confirmed that five people had died, with their bodies having been recovered at the site of the Ahobilam Temple of Protection at River Range Ranch in Verulam, which collapsed on Friday.

"I am at a loss; I do not know what to do," said the woman, whose partner was working on the site. "We had been together for close to 10 years and had a child. He was a good man who cared for his child, and his child wanted for nothing," she said about her 42-year-old partner, whose name is known to The Mercury.