Final Body Recovered From Ormonde Building Collapse, Death Toll Rises To Nine

The death toll from a building collapse in Ormonde, south of Johannesburg, has risen to nine after search-and-rescue teams located the final missing construction worker on Tuesday.

The bodies of two workers trapped under the rubble were recovered earlier in the morning, while the last worker was extracted as crews continued recovery operations.

Second-Floor Deck Collapse Traps Workers

Parts of the building’s second-floor deck caved in on Monday, leaving construction workers buried under concrete. Mayor Dada Morero confirmed that the building had not received official approval and that irregularities in construction contributed to the collapse.

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“The building involved is in clear violation of city by-laws as the process was not followed in its construction. The city does not have official record of approval and building plans were not submitted for review,” Morero said.

The victims have been identified as South African citizens, with some workers from Lesotho among them.

City Plans Demolition Ormonde Building

Morero added that the city intends to demolish the unsafe structure and hold the owner accountable.

An inquest docket will be opened with police to investigate the cause of the collapse once all evidence has been reviewed.

Rescue teams worked tirelessly to extract the final body, marking the conclusion of recovery operations at the site.

Deputy Minister of Labour Jomo Sibiya visited the Ormonde site and is expected to brief the media later, highlighting the government’s involvement in the investigation and worker safety concerns.