Labour Department Confirms 77 Compensation Claims After George Building Collapse

The Department of Employment and Labour has confirmed that it has received 77 claims for compensation following the tragic building collapse in George, Western Cape, earlier this year.

Deputy Minister of Labour Jomo Sibiya provided an update to Parliament’s Portfolio Committees on Human Settlements and Public Works on Wednesday.

The disaster, which occurred in May 2024, claimed the lives of 34 construction workers and left 28 others seriously injured after a partially completed five-storey apartment building caved in.

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Sibiya said that 68 claims were submitted to the Compensation Fund, while the Federated Employer Mutual Assurance Company received five claims. The remaining four claims lacked documentation.

“Of the 68 claims received by the Compensation Fund, 28 are fatal claims and we continue to cry with those families that lost their loved ones, and 40 are injury on duty, IOD, claims,” said Sibiya.

Majority of Victims Were Foreign Nationals, Says Labour Department

Sibiya revealed that of the 68 claims handled by the Compensation Fund, 15 were from South African citizens and 53 from foreign nationals.

“That confirmation that these 53 were foreign nationals came from the Department of Home Affairs. We also got to know from them that only one had a work permit. But even that work permit had expired,” he added.

The Department continues to work closely with relevant authorities to ensure the affected families and injured workers receive the necessary support and compensation.

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