Death toll in George building collapse rises to 30 as officials call for Shona speaking counselor

• Western Cape officials appeal for trauma counsellors proficient in Chewa, Portuguese, Shona
• According to the George municipality in the Western Cape, 28 people are still to be accounted for in the tragedy
• The death toll from the collapse of a building under construction in George, Western Cape, last Monday has risen to 30

In the aftermath of the tragic building collapse in George on 6 May, which claimed the lives of twenty construction workers and left numerous others trapped under the rubble.

Officials are fervently appealing for trauma counsellors proficient in Chewa, Portuguese, and Shona.

The collapse has particularly impacted families from Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.

South Africans say this is a confirmation

@emmanwaneri2000 commented:

"Really now? This means it was true that foreigners from Mozambique, Malawi & Zim were a large part of the workers crushed in this accident. Were they here legally or not? Did they have proper training? How much were they being paid?"

Read also

South Africans in dismay as George building collapse death toll rises to 30

@sandune72

"So that means they are illegal!!! But nothing surprises me; in this country, it's free for all, and the qualified are pushed out!"

The need for assistance

According to EWN, Garden Route disaster management authorities have underscored the critical need for professional psychosocial support practitioners to aid the affected families and survivors of the catastrophe.

With over 100 emergency personnel and disaster responders from various municipalities engaged in the rescue efforts, the need for specialised trauma counselling, especially in languages relevant to the affected communities, has become increasingly evident.

Since the incident, 30 lives have been lost, while 28 individuals remain trapped beneath the wreckage.

The scale of the disaster has prompted an overwhelming response from both local and international volunteers.

Update on the incident

As a result of the collapse of an under-construction building in George, Western Cape, last Monday, the death toll has escalated to 30.

Read also

George Building Collapse: 28 People Still Unaccounted for, Families Asked to Identify Workers

Currently, 13 workers are undergoing treatment in hospital, with 22 individuals still reported as missing.

SABC reported that it is estimated that approximately 81 individuals were present at the construction site when the collapse occurred last week.

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Sihle Zikalala, accompanied by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Alvin Botes, several engineers, and construction industry experts, visited the site on Monday.

Watch the video below:

Survivor Gabriel Gumba expresses gratitude in video after 118-hour ordeal

Briefly News previously reported that Gabriel Gumba says he is fine after he was rescued from the debris of a collapsed building in George after being trapped for 118 hours.

The George Municipality shared a video of the 33 year old lying in the hospital bed.

In the video, he assures viewers he is doing fine and thankful for being alive.

Rescuers could contact the man and give him water after hearing someone inside the rubble. The tiler was seen being carried into a waiting ambulance.

Source: Briefly News