Durban Temple Collapses After Four-Storey Structure Falls Onto It, Several People Remain Trapped

• A four-storey structure collapsed onto a temple at the River Range Ranch in Verulam, Durban, on 12 December 2025
• Rescue efforts are underway to free those who remain trapped under the rubble, but the location has made things difficult
• Some of the trapped victims have been able to communicate with family members via voicenotes and pictures

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

KWAZULU-NATAL – One person has been declared dead after a devastating structural collapse in Verulam, Durban.

Rescue efforts are still underway after the four-storey building, which was under construction, collapsed onto a temple. While it is yet to be confirmed, officials believe that six people are trapped under the rubble, including the temple’s priest.

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Several rescue teams are assisting in removing those under the rubble, but efforts have been made harder due to the location of the building collapse.

Structure collapsed onto the temple

According to Prem Balram, from Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), there was a four-storey structure being built near the temple at River Range Ranch in Durban. Balram said that while it was not confirmed, it’s believed that concrete was being poured into the structure before it collapsed.

Balram, who was speaking to eNCA’s Dasen Thathiah, stated that rescue efforts have been made more difficult due to the location of the temple. The temple is situated at the top of a steep incline, adjacent to a mostly dirt road, and overlooking a cliff. Rescue officials and other authorities have had to park at the bottom of the incline and walk up to get to the scene of the disaster.

Thathiah later reported that he spoke to people around the area who claimed that the structure was being built next to the temple and was supposed to serve as living quarters.

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Trapped individuals communicating with family members

Six people are believed to be trapped under the rubble, while eight others have been treated for injuries sustained during the collapse. Some vehicles have also been damaged and are currently under the collapsed structure.

At least three people who are trapped have been able to send voice notes and pictures to family members, who then alerted authorities about the disaster.

Balram said that thanks to the details from the trapped individuals, they have some idea of where the people are, but said that it was a very confined space. Six others, who were in the vicinity of the collapse, were later rescued and treated for minor injuries before being taken away to a hospital for further treatment.

One resident who also spoke to eNCA said that he would arrange for an excavator to help with the removal of the rubble, but that it would take approximately two hours to get there. eNCA also spoke to a construction worker who explained that he was pouring concrete on the top floor of the structure when the structure below him collapsed.

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He suffered some injuries, but was able to walk away unaided. He said that there were other workers on the floors below him when the structure collapsed. The worker said that there were three workers below him, along with the boss, the boss's cousin, and the person in charge of setting up the electricity.

Two killed in building collapse in Phoenix

Briefly News also reported that a structure in Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal, collapsed in March 2025, causing the deaths of two people.

The men were trapped under the rubble of a property that was still under construction for hours.

South Africans lamented the deaths, and some questioned the quality of the construction work being done.

Source: Briefly News