The Department of Employment and Labour reveals that 53 of the 68 claimants are undocumented foreign nationals, creating a major hurdle in processing payouts for the tragic disaster.
GEORGE, Western Cape – Eighteen months after the devastating George building collapse that claimed 34 lives and injured 28, survivors and families of the deceased are still waiting for compensation, with the Department of Employment and Labour citing a critical challenge: a lack of proper documentation for the majority of claimants.
The department’s Compensation Fund has received 68 claims related to the tragedy—15 from South Africans and 53 from foreign nationals. However, processing has hit a wall.
Milly Ruiters, the Department’s Chief Inspector of Occupational Health and Safety, revealed that the Department of Home Affairs confirmed that 52 of the 53 foreign nationals were in the country illegally. The one individual who had a work permit was found to have an expired document.
‘We Need Documentation to Finalise Claims’
“When it comes to social security, we need documentation in order for the Department of Employment and Labour to finalise the processing of claims,” Ruiters stated, highlighting the legal and administrative impasse.
The five-storey residential building under construction collapsed on 6 May 2023, in one of South Africa’s worst construction disasters. The victims were mostly construction workers and artisans, many of whom were the sole breadwinners for their families.
The delay in compensation has compounded the trauma for affected families, who have been left in financial limbo while grappling with their loss and recovery.
A Legal and Humanitarian Dilemma
The situation presents a complex legal and humanitarian problem. While the Compensation Fund is mandated to provide support for workplace injuries and deaths, its processes are dependent on verifiable identities and legal employment status.
The revelation that the majority of claimants were working illegally raises difficult questions about the oversight on the construction site and the employment practices of the contractors involved.
The department now faces the challenge of finding a resolution that adheres to the law while addressing the undeniable suffering of the victims and their families, regardless of their immigration status.
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