The search and rescue operation following Monday’s retaining wall collapse at eBuhleni Village, KwaShembe, in Inanda has been officially concluded, with all eight church members who were trapped or injured safely rescued and accounted for.
Emergency authorities confirmed that no additional victims were found beneath the rubble and, remarkably, no fatalities were reported.
The incident occurred on Monday, July 13, when a retaining wall collapsed onto congregants who were resting alongside the structure at the church premises.
All eight injured congregants were extricated from the debris by emergency rescue teams before being transported to hospital for medical treatment. At the time of publication, two patients remained in a critical condition, while the remaining six continue to receive treatment and are reported to be recovering.
The large-scale rescue operation involved eThekwini Fire and Rescue Services, Metro Police, the South African Police Service (SAPS), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), as well as several other emergency response agencies, who worked throughout the operation to ensure every affected person was safely recovered.
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson visited the scene on Tuesday, where he met with church leadership to assess the aftermath of the collapse and discuss the way forward.
Expressing gratitude that no lives were lost, Macpherson said the outcome was nothing short of remarkable.
“Having visited the site, I share the belief of the Shembe Church that it is by the grace of God that no lives were lost. My thoughts and prayers remain with those recovering in hospital. We are committed to working with the church and built-environment professionals to strengthen construction practices, improve safety standards and help prevent tragedies like this from happening again,” he said.
Macpherson confirmed that the Council for the Built Environment has been tasked with investigating the cause of the retaining wall collapse. He said no further construction work would resume at the site until the investigation has been completed and the necessary safety assessments have been conducted.
eThekwini Municipality welcomed the investigation and confirmed it would work closely with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to support the redevelopment process. The municipality said it would provide technical expertise and ensure that all future work complies with building regulations and safety standards.
A multidisciplinary panel of engineers and architects is expected to be appointed to conduct a comprehensive structural assessment of the site. Their findings and recommendations will guide any future construction work and help strengthen measures aimed at preventing similar incidents from occurring.
