LETTER: Department has to answer for George disaster

For almost 10 years I have been asking the department of employment & labour to ensure that the department’s inspectorate is properly resourced and that all posts are filled. 

It’s all very well to have some of the world’s best labour laws but if they are not adequately policed, nightmares will occur, as we have just seen with the building collapse in George. 

The department sees fit to spend huge sums of money on Productivity SA, which does nothing, and with some of its other entities that are useless. 

In the past few years I repeatedly warned the past two ministers of employment & labour of the probability of repeated tragedies. The department’s directorate was responsible for ensuring that the building in George was compliant with all its regulations and laws. 

The investigation will determine where blame lies but it is all very well to attribute blame afterwards, when in fact it was vital beforehand for the inspectors to approve and pass at every stage of the operation. 

I will be once again writing to the labour minister asking the following: 

• Does the department have adequate inspectors in the Southern Cape?
• Have the inspectors been carefully assessing the building operation since April 2024, when building commenced?
• Have any reports indicated malpractice?
• Did anyone in the department raise any red flags before the tragedy?

Michael Bagraim, MP
DA labour spokesperson