Picture by Deidré Cloete. Rescuers working tirelessly at the site of the Victoria Street building collapse.

This last week has been a roller coaster of emotion for many local residents, and indeed most of South Africa, as a result of the collapse of the multi-storey building in Victoria Street, George, resulting in the tragic loss of so many lives and serious injury to others on-site at the time.

At time of going to press (6pm Tuesday 14 May) the death toll had reached 33 (27 male and 6 female), with 19 people still not found.

With 81 souls in the building when it collapsed, many were trapped under layers of concrete rubble – it has been a race against the clock to retrieve those who managed to survive the collapse before they succumb to injuries, or indeed, lack of oxygen, food and water.

The tragedy, which has made international news, occurred on Monday, 6 May, at 14:09, with the initial emergency call being made within five minutes. At first, details were vague, with reports of a ‘collapse of scaffolding’ doing the rounds, but as emergency services arrived on the scene, the enormity of the situation became clear.

As construction of the ill-fated building was already more or less complete, the unfortunate souls working inside it when it collapsed were mostly teams of subcontractors – from painters to tilers to electricians.
Over the ensuing hours, multiple Disaster Service personnel, including medical services and Saps Search & Rescue teams, rushed to the scene. They were soon joined by emergency personnel from the City of Cape Town and Worcester Disaster Services and the Western Cape Provincial Disaster Services. Since then, approximately 200 emergency and other dedicated personnel, along with search and rescue dogs, have been tirelessly working at the site.

A Joint Operations Control Centre has been set up to deal with logistics, with Provincial Disaster Management personnel of the highest level sharing their expertise in directing operations.

Family and friends of victims rushed to the scene as they received news of the collapse. With the danger of further injury on site, they were directed to the nearby municipal buildings to wait for news. As hours turn to days, their ongoing plight can only be imagined. The Department of Social Services and Correctional Services Social Workers have been present to try to assist the families in dealing with their grief.

Volunteers poured in to offer help, working primarily on the perimeters of the site, keeping out of the way of danger, but providing invaluable assistance in the carting away of rubble, looking after the well-being of the rescue team and handing out vital refreshments, etc.

Meanwhile, the name of the developers of the building, Neo Victoria Developments, has been released. George Mayor Leon van Wyk confirmed that plans for the block of flats were submitted to the Municipality in December 2022 and approved in July 2023. The George Herald reported receiving a statement from the developers saying they are fully committed and supportive of the investigations envisaged by the premier of the Western Cape Province to determine the cause of the tragedy and undertake to cooperate fully with all authorities.

“We mourn the loss of life, the injuries suffered, and the bereavement of the loved ones and families affected. We are deeply moved by the actions of the rescue teams and authorities.” the letter stated.

Work on the scene was exceptionally difficult. Time was of the essence, but dangers of further collapse were always at the forefront, so the use of heavy machinery on the concrete slabs and piles of rubble had to be limited. By the end of day three, rescue workers had retrieved 37 victims, eight of whom were deceased.

On day four (Friday), a very tough decision had to be made. The JOC announced that the multi-agency rescue squad would begin using demolition equipment to lift the concrete slabs that were obstructing access to the lower floors of the building site.

“The meticulous and skilled rescue response to date, which has allowed for the recovery of 40 of the 81 trapped workers, has had to proceed carefully to avoid further collapse and injury.” they said in a statement, “The stability of the site is a threat to the safety of emergency personnel who have focused their efforts for the past 96 hours on rescuing as many trapped patients as possible. The decision to switch to using heavy-duty demolition equipment is not taken lightly. The demolition company has created a safe path to drive on over the site, filling in voids that have been thoroughly checked for any entrapped victims. Rescue techniques continue to be applied meticulously and sensitively at each phase.”

On Saturday, the sombre mood of the exhausted crew turned to delight when, after they had surely all but given up hope, a noise was heard deep under the rubble. Contact was made with a living survivor, and whoops of joy echoed around the site, and indeed the country, when Gabriel Gumba was eventually brought to the surface, having been trapped for 118 hours without food and water. Amazingly, he had only suffered minor injuries.

The search operation continued and indeed will continue until the last victim is retrieved.

Whilst investigations into the cause of the building’s tragic implosion are already underway, the main emphasis to date has understandably been on rescue and recovery operations.

Our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones during this tragedy, and a massive vote of thanks to emergency personnel and volunteers who have kept going for so long, giving their all in an extremely challenging rescue operation that must surely be heart-wrenching.

On the morning of Madiba Day, Thursday, 18 June 2019, Angeline ‘Anna’ Armoed wept. But at the time, these were tears of joy because the widowed grandmother had just received the best gift ever – the promise of a new house! After being on the waiting list for over twenty years, she and her family were to be given their very own home, compliments of Knysna Municipality and a private donor.
Now, five years later, her joy has long turned to misery – because this new house has never materialised. The promise, made official by a ‘Pledge of Commitment’ certificate presented to Mrs Armoed (with speeches, cheers and much pomp and ceremony) by municipal dignitaries wearing the ceremonial hard-hats for the ground-breaking ceremony, is yet to become a reality.
Nothing has been done.
On that Madiba Day The EDGE Community Newspaper and other media were there to record the moment, because an impoverished widow receiving a new 42-square-metre home would make a perfect uplifting story for the front page.
To date, that same piece of ground remains ‘unbroken’, and Mrs Armoed, now 61, is still living elsewhere. Her current home is a dilapidated two-roomed backyard shack, which she shares with six other occupants. To add insult to injury, this structure was badly flooded during the recent heavy rains.
In 2019, Annie Brinkhuis, who held the Human Settlements portfolio on the local Ward Committee, reported that Mrs Armoed had been a ‘backyard dweller’ since her husband died in 2002. She and her children had battled to make ends meet since then.
“Angeline was actually on the list to receive one of the first RDP houses in the late nineties,” Annie had told us, “But somehow her name got shifted off the list, and she lost out.”
Also in 2019, a spokesperson for Knysna Municipality reported that the family’s vulnerability had made them an ideal recipient of the housing opportunity ‘because the household was exposed to extreme poverty.’
However, it seems their extreme poverty was no longer an issue for the dignitaries or the municipality once the photo opportunity had been taken. Mrs Armoed and her family were left with nothing but the printed pledge, congratulating them on being the recipients of, as it turned out, a non-existent home.
When the rains of two weeks ago flooded her home, the widow’s continued plight caught the attention of Fregen Galant, a Smutsville Informal Settlement Forum member, who decided that it was time to push the matter again. He and Mrs Armoed went to the municipality, taking along the Pledge of Commitment (she has had it laminated for longevity!). They managed to speak to MMC (Member Mayoral Committee) for Infrastructure, Councillor Beauty Charlie.
Perhaps not being able to believe what she was hearing, the councillor contacted some of the ‘dignitaries’ who had been involved in the original handover. They confirmed (with at least some embarrassment, it is hoped) that Mrs Armoed’s tragic tale was indeed true.
According to Galant, the councillor then called the Manager of Integrated Human Settlements, Lindile Petuna, to ask what could be done. He suggested a ‘kit’ Wendy house could be set up for Mrs Armoed in the new informal area known as Lank Gewag, where her oldest son Randall currently lives.
“Mr Petuna made it sound like it was an easy thing for the Municipality to do,” he said, “And he also told us that once Anna is set up there, she could be connected up with electricity, as the Lank Gewag settlement has been electrified.”
But when we met with him over a week later, a frustrated Galant said nothing had happened yet, except for a lot more rain and flooding of Mrs Armoed’s home. Whilst he spoke to us, a very resigned and hopeless Mrs Armoed looked on in silence. Galant said they had contacted Beauty Charlie’s offices once again, but whilst the councillor took their calls, she could not provide any news for them as she had not been able to get hold of Petuna since the first meeting.
Contacted for comment, a Municipal Spokesperson said “It is correct that Mrs Armoed possesses a letter signed by a former Municipal Manager and Mayor, indicating a commitment to construct a house contingent upon sponsorship. However, the sponsorship has since been rescinded, placing the responsibility of construction on the Municipality.
“The construction of the house has been integrated into the annual rectification program, scheduled for realisation in the upcoming financial year commencing in July 2024.
“Regarding the request for materials made by community members, it’s important to note that current policy restricts the allocation of materials, and any implementation is subject to the availability of resources and requisite approvals.”
This newspaper looks forward to printing pictures of Mrs Armoed and her family in their new (albeit temporary) kit home, but no one is holding their breath.

Province issues directives warning Municipal Manager Sebola to Comply

(Picture: Environmental Law Enforcement Director of the Provincial Government, Achmad Bassier and Knysna Municipal Manager Ombali Sebola.)

All eyes will again be on the Knysna Municipality in the next few weeks, but now with a more hopeful outlook. This after council members unanimously approved the diagnostic report and support plan presented to them by the Western Cape Provincial Government at a Special Council Meeting held on Friday 1 March.

The assessment involved municipal officials and a multidisciplinary team of subject matter experts from the Western Cape Government, Provincial Treasury, and the National Department of Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs (CoGTA).

But whilst it was frequently mentioned in the presentation that the much-needed assistance in the form of a detailed and financially supported plan for Knysna’s recovery (see Mayor’s report on page 3) was being given in the spirit of Section 154 of the Constitution (which states that National Government and provincial governments, by legislative and other measures, must support and strengthen the capacity of municipalities to manage their own affairs, to exercise their powers and to perform their functions), two directives issued to the Municipal Manager Ombali Sebola on Thursday 29 February left no doubt that the Provincial Government means business, and that as Knysna’s top official he could face dire consequences for non-compliance.

Both directives were issued by Achmad Bassier, the Environmental Law Enforcement Director of the Provincial Government, in terms of the National Environmental Management Act, and both include the following points:-
6.4 In terms of section 49A(1)(g) of the NEMA failure to comply with a Directive is an offence. A person convicted of failing to comply with a Directive is liable to a fine not exceeding R10 million or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years, or to both such fine and such imprisonment .

6.7 The NEMA makes provision for the criminal prosecution of officials of an organ of state, such as national or provincial government departments, municipalities or public entities.

The first of these very pointed directives was issued to both Sebola and Randall Bower, the Municipal Waste Manager, due to the appalling state of the Waste Transfer Station in Knysna.
“Whilst the Department acknowledges the Knysna Municipality’s efforts to address the situation in terms of the KM’s Action Plan (dated 28 November 2023), the Knysna WTS remains in an appalling condition, resulting in numerous nuisances (i.e. visual, windblown litter, excessive foul odours, etc.) emanating from the WTS, thus impacting negatively on the health and well-being of the general public and business owners in the area,” the directive states, later adding “… the KM are causing significant pollution and/or degradation of the environment and have not taken reasonable measures to prevent pollution and/or degradation from occurring and continuing, in respect of the WTS.”

The directive points out that a site visit by Environmental Management Inspectors revealed that there was no access control, thus allowing unauthorised access to the WTS; several vagrants were still present and living in informal structures on the property, as well as actively involved in the reclaiming and sorting of waste; these vagrants are living in unhygienic conditions with no basic sanitation or ablution facilities, thus contributing to the pollution of the stormwater channel which flows into the adjacent Knysna Lagoon. Large volumes of uncovered waste have been dumped/stored outside the WTS resulting in nuisances such as windblown litter occurring on the adjoining properties, excessive foul odours, and the presence of vermin and flies.

The second directive referred to Knysna’s crumbling sewerage infrastructure and its effect on the Knysna Lagoon in particular.

After again acknowledging the Municipality’s efforts to address the situation in terms of the 18 December Action Plan, the directive states “The Knysna Estuary remains highly polluted from continuous overflows emanating from pipeline and manholes in the Hunters Home and Hornlee Residential area into the Bigai River, as well as the overflows from the conservancy tank at The Woods, Lake Brenton.”
Further, it leaves no doubt as to where the Director’s department felt the blame lies.
“… your Municipality is causing and has caused significant pollution of the environment and the Knysna Estuary and its respective aquatic and marine/coastal ecosystems by failing to take reasonable measures to prevent such pollution from continuing or recurring.

“The current state of pollution within the Bigai River and the Knysna Estuary, as well as the inadequate sewerage infrastructure and lack of maintenance at the Woods, Lake Brenton, is not only causing significant pollution of the environment and the Knysna Estuary and the associated aquatic and coastal environment, but may also impact negatively on the health and well-being of the public and the residents residing along Bigai River and the affected areas within the Knysna Estuary.”

Both of the Provincial Law Enforcement directives issued a comprehensive list of actions that need to be taken by the Knysna Municipality, under the leadership of the Municipal Manager, within strict time-frames should the recipients wish to avoid prosecution.

These actions will be closely monitored by the provincial authorities through regular site visits and compulsory updates / feedback meetings.

It seems that Carte Blanche’s much-publicised exposé entitled Knysna’s Sad Collapse, which aired on DStv Sunday, 18 Feb, has been the final straw for many residents. Perhaps it takes having a surprise visitor checking out your house to realise how badly things are falling apart.

The Knysna segment of the popular investigative journalism program certainly was a no-holds-barred report on Knysna’s dirty laundry. After leading with sound bytes from Western Cape Premier Alan Winde’s State of the Nation Debate speech, which described a decomposing body found in a Knysna Municipal Water reservoir, the Carte Blanche camera crew, along with journalist Erin Bates, took thousands of viewers through the town’s worst issues.

“Knysna’s decay is undeniable,” she reported, “Visible signs of infrastructure collapse are everywhere.” As the cameras captured a tragic tapestry of the town, including mountains of waste in the CBD, communities left without water in Hornlee, sewage spills into streams running into the lagoon and desperate residents trying their utmost to survive despite these challenges, the journalist highlighted the fact that not only are Knysna’s people suffering, but also the environment – particularly the unique ecosystem of the estuary.

“This story is as much about politics and the failure of local government as it is about the survival of the Knysna seahorse,” she said, later suggesting that in its current state, Knysna was a ticking time bomb for both.
Looking for answers, she did not find them in her brief interview with Executive Mayor Aubrey Tsengwa. He described the challenges as ‘small’ and insisted that Knysna Municipality may have cash-flow problems but was certainly not bankrupt.

Bates had a more meaningful discussion with long-time Knysna businessman John Metelerkamp, who had also been her ‘guide’ through part of the tour. He told her the town’s infrastructure had not kept pace with the exploding population numbers. He did not believe the blame lay entirely at the feet of the current coalition leadership but goes back years. “It doesn’t matter who rules the council,” he said. “Their focus has been on politics, not on infrastructure, not on running the town.” Metelerkamp also told her that, in his view, getting answers from the municipality had become nigh on impossible.

But the chat was not all negative. The businessman said he believed that there is a groundswell amongst Knysna locals to get involved in saving the town.

As the heart-wrenching 20-minute documentary on the ‘2023 Dorpie of the Year’ came to a close, Bates aimed a pointed question at members of the current Knysna Council.
“Will the politicians prioritise self-interest, or will they get down to business and save the jewel of the Garden Route? In the meantime, it’s the ordinary citizens who will pay the price for years of incompetent management of this municipality. Their once pristine environment is at the mercy of those paid to protect it.”

Whilst many organisations and indeed individuals have spent huge sums of money, time and energy over the last few years trying to keep the Greater Knysna Municipality from becoming one of those South African towns, it seems Sunday night’s Carte Blanche may have provided a catalyst for much more community involvement.

One particular WhatsApp group, set up last year under the name ‘Objections Knysna Rates’, has exploded in numbers in the last few days. Pierre van Biljon, now one of the group admins, told us he posted a message along the lines of ‘I’ve had enough’ on the group on Saturday night after discovering the shocking state of the water. By Sunday morning, the number of members in the group was up to 300. By Sunday night, so many people had joined it that it had exceeded the maximum number of members allowed (1024), and a sister group had to be launched.

All members were decrying the state of Knysna, and most wanted to know what they could do to help put it right. It soon became evident that a sense of order and an action plan was needed, and Pierre stepped up to the plate to get the ball rolling. “I don’t believe Knysna’s infrastructure is below the maintenance line,” he told us on a call, ‘But it is close. And to rebuild it would be exceptionally hard and way too expensive.”

Pierre spent most of Monday in his unexpected leadership position seeking advice and formulating suggested action options, which he was able to share in detail with group members later that afternoon.

He suggested that the seemingly popular idea of withholding payment of rates was not an option worth considering as a lengthy court battle may well fail and would leave residents with substantial legal costs to pay on top of any withheld rates.

A second option would be for the business/private sector to take on the municipality’s role – in other words, do the maintenance and repairs themselves. This would bring the fastest results but be exceptionally expensive.

A third option would be a ‘special ratepayer’s vote’: This would entail adding an ad-hoc rate to residents’ monthly accounts that would be specifically dedicated (with independent monitoring) to achieving specific goals, such as repairing sewer and water lines. This option, however, can only be decided and implemented with a majority vote of the representative ratepayers within the municipal region, which would no doubt present a serious challenge.

But Pierre is quick to point out that these are only suggestions and that the first and most crucial step would be to hold a public meeting to elect a steering committee and map out an action plan. “It’s as simple as this,” he says, “Not one of us has all the answers, but if we pool our ideas and resources and work together as a team, great things can happen.”

If you would like to become part of this movement, please email pierrevanbiljon@gmail.com.

(See page 3 of ‘Latest issue’ for a statement from the offices of Knysna’s Executive Mayor Aubrey Tsengwa .)

(Picture: Councillor Cleone Vanston with members of the Waste Management Team)

The ugly mountains of rubbish that were being stored on the grounds of the old Sedgefield Recycling Centre were finally cleared by the Knysna Municipality Waste Department last week, but it seems that this wasn’t to last long as local residents have been taking their own rubbish and dropping it there, so new piles are forming.

Municipal Manager, Ombali Sebola, has now declared the site officially closed, and a visible board has been placed outside warning residents of this. He insists that the huge waste overflow at the Recycle Centre over the last few months has always been caused by private rubbish dumping, not the site being used as a holding area by the Waste Department, as many believed.

“It is imperative to highlight that the challenges at the recycling centre were caused by residents dumping domestic waste,” he said, “The permit for the centre is not for dropping off domestic waste. We kindly urge residents to retain their domestic waste at their residences. Regular refuse collection will continue as scheduled.”

Says Ward 2 Councillor Cleone Vanston “Whilst I am aware of many challenges with the removal of certain types of waste that doesn’t fit into black bags or cannot be recycled in the recycling bags, the request remains to please refrain from taking your refuse to the site.”

She informed us that people from surrounding towns and rural areas had reportedly also been bringing their waste to the site.

“All household refuse can be put in black bags and wheelie-bins, and recycling items in the clear recycling bags for collection as per the usual schedule,” she advised, “A more informative action plan for items that cannot be collected from your property needs to be formulated within the Solid Waste department in conjunction with the Municipal Manager – this will be communicated in due course.”

Residents with any queries related to refuse collection should contact the Knysna Municipality 044 302 6405 – Waste Management Department or 044 302 6500 – Sedgefield Municipal Offices
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Those interested in obtaining wheelie bins may email their request to Ramona Loxton at rloxton@knysna.gov.za.

To mitigate the potential misuse of clear bags, D&M Recycling – the recycling tender holder – will furnish residents with clear bags. The number of bags collected will correspond to the initially issued empty bags.