TRAGEDY IN SOWETO: Family Begs For Help After Mother, Daughter And Baby Die In Building Collapse

The family of three people who died in a building collapse in Doornkop, Soweto, has appealed for assistance to bury their loved ones.

The victims have been identified as 60-year-old Hloniphile Xaba, her 24-year-old daughter Nqobile, and Nqobile’s one-year-old daughter, Langelihle. They were among six people inside a double-storey structure that collapsed in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Three other occupants were rescued and taken to hospital for medical treatment.

A relative, Zintle Xaba, said a total of 16 people were living in the building at the time of the incident, but only part of the structure gave way.

“The other family members were in another room, which did not collapse,” she said.

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Xaba said she was at work when she received a phone call informing her of the tragedy, which happened at about 1am. She explained that she could not immediately rush home due to a lack of transport.

She said she had to wait until public transport became available before travelling back.

“At first, I did not believe the people who called me, but it sank in when I spoke to my brother, and that is when I knew it was real,” she said.

Originally from KwaZulu-Natal, Xaba said the family moved into the house in 2021 after failing to secure accommodation.

“We didn’t have a place to stay, so we just saw a house, and we started occupying it. The house was empty when we occupied it.”

She added that while the family feared living in a house without knowing who owned it, they felt relief at having a roof over their heads.

“We didn’t have a home in KZN, then we decided to move to Joburg. We were scared [to occupy the building], but when you are desperate, you just tell yourself you will cross that bridge when you get to it. As long as we have shelter at the moment. Since 2021, nobody has come to claim the home.”

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Xaba said the surviving family members are now dependent on the kindness of the community for temporary shelter and food.

“We need all the help we can get. We don’t have a place to sleep or food, and we don’t have funeral cover. We need all the help that can be offered to us because we don’t know where to start.”

Meanwhile, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson said he has instructed the Council for the Built Environment to investigate the cause of the collapse.

The probe will determine what led to the incident, identify any responsible parties and recommend measures to prevent similar tragedies.

Macpherson said the investigation would be thorough and transparent, and conducted in co-operation with regulatory authorities.

“As the department of public works and infrastructure, we are committed to accountability and to ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to strengthen safety and oversight in the construction sector to protect workers and the public,” he said.

“We will respect due process and co-operate fully with all regulatory bodies throughout the investigation. Once all the facts have been established, appropriate action will be taken.”

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