City man killed in South African building collapse

A MAN from Bulawayo’s Emakhandeni suburb, Obvious Ncube, is among the dozens of workers who died and whose bodies have been retrieved from the debris of a high rise building that collapsed in George, Western Cape province, in South Africa last week.

The apartment building was under construction when it collapsed. According to South African media, as of Wednesday afternoon, the death toll had risen to 33.

Twenty individuals remain unaccounted for while 13 are admitted at different hospitals.

Despite the fact that its a week after the multi-storey building collapsed, the cause of the devastating incident remains elusive, prompting ongoing rescue efforts and investigations by authorities in the neighbouring country.

Yesterday, a Bulawayo family confirmed that their 35-year-old son’s body had been retrieved from the debris.

“We got the devastating news from a relative in George last week that my son worked in the building that collapsed, but we kept our faith in the hope that he would be rescued alive.

“We were then advised that close relatives of the missing workers had been asked to identify bodies either through body viewing or DNA tests.

“My oldest daughter travelled to South Africa and she positively identified her brother among the dead. I’m so devastated, I’m at a loss of words,” said the deceased’s father, Mr Benzie Ncube.

He described his son as a hard-working man.

“He worked hard to earn a living as opposed to engaging in crime like what others do in SA. I last spoke to him on the phone about three weeks ago and he had last visited us here in Bulawayo last year in September,” said Mr Ncube.

The family is appealing for assistance to bury their loved one when his body is repatriated back to Bulawayo.

Mourners are gathered at Number 2126 Emakhandeni suburb.

Those who wish to assist can contact Mr Ncube on 0772 728 195.