Building under construction collapses on temple in South Africa, leaving 1 dead

One person was killed and several others remain trapped beneath rubble after a multistory building under construction collapsed on top of a Hindu temple in Verulam, South Africa, authorities confirmed Friday.

Emergency responders worked frantically to reach those buried under concrete and debris at the site located north of Durban on South Africa’s eastern coast. Eight people were injured and transported to local hospitals, according to officials from the scene.

The EThekwini Municipality, which governs the area, released a statement indicating that the structure appears to have been built illegally without approved construction plans. “Preliminary investigations indicate that no building plans had been approved for the construction,” the statement read.

Prem Balram, an official with Reaction Unit South Africa, a private security and emergency response company involved in rescue efforts, told the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) that some of those trapped were communicating with family members via cellphone, providing crucial information about their locations within the collapsed structure.

“They’re using their phones to communicate with relatives, giving them information about where they are trapped,” Balram said. “This is helping guide our rescue teams, but it remains a mammoth task to safely extract everyone.”

According to Balram, the collapsed structure appeared to be a three or four-story extension being built above an existing Hindu temple. It remains unclear whether those trapped are construction workers, temple worshippers, or both. Reports suggest one of the temple’s owners may be among those buried beneath the rubble.

The temple was situated on a hillside overlooking a ranch area. Images released by municipal authorities show a devastating scene of twisted metal, collapsed pillars, and mounds of concrete where the building once stood.

Rescue operations are expected to continue through the night as teams carefully work to locate and extract survivors without triggering further collapses. Heavy equipment has been brought to the site, but rescuers are proceeding cautiously to avoid endangering those who might still be alive beneath the debris.

This collapse comes less than a year after another major building disaster in South Africa. In 2023, more than 30 construction workers were killed when an apartment building under construction collapsed in George, a city on South Africa’s south coast. In that incident, rescuers searched for over a week to recover victims.

A subsequent investigation into the George collapse determined it was caused by a combination of design flaws, substandard construction materials, and negligence—raising questions about construction safety standards and enforcement throughout the country.

Building collapses have become increasingly common across various regions of Africa, often attributed to poor regulatory oversight, corruption in the approval process, and contractors cutting corners to reduce costs. The use of substandard materials and inadequate engineering supervision has led to several similar tragedies in recent years.

South African authorities have faced mounting pressure to strengthen building code enforcement and inspection protocols, particularly for commercial and religious structures where large numbers of people may gather.

The Verulam collapse has renewed calls from safety advocates for stricter penalties against developers who circumvent building regulations, with particular focus on structures built without proper permits.

Local officials have promised a thorough investigation once rescue operations conclude, with potential criminal charges for those responsible if negligence is determined to be a factor in the collapse.