George building collapse: Death toll hits 17 with another body recovered

Disaster management in the Garden Route has issued an appeal for more safety equipment.

Hundreds of rescuers on the site of the fatal George building collapse need various items, including helmets, safety goggles, headlamps, and construction gloves.

Officials said they’ve been inundated with volunteer requests after a 42-unit apartment block collapsed with 81 artisans on site on Monday.

The MEC responsible for disaster management, Anton Bredell, has appealed to the public not to respond to any requests for volunteers on social media, unless such a request is issued by the Joint Operations Committee (JOC) or the George Municipality.

“There are more than enough resources. We can just thank them because now we’re focusing on the operation. Even the families – it must have been the worst days of their lives waiting. Their basic needs? There are blankets, mattresses, [and] food.

“It’s the wait and therefore, there are people from the Department of Social Services working with them as the families, and also trying to identify the people in the hospital is a lengthy process.”

-EWN

In other news – RIP: Family and friends bid farewell to actor Mpho Sebeng

Ring of Lies actor Mpho Sebeng has been described as a talented young man who was eager to learn. Friends, family, and industry colleagues gathered at the Rhema Bible Church to bid farewell to Sebeng, who died in a car accident on Sunday.

Mpho Sebeng

The 31-year-old starred in many local productions, recently playing the character of Ceasar on the Netflix show, Miseducation. Read More

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