GOOD Statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General & Member of the Western Cape Parliament
02 May 2025
The families of those who tragically lost their lives in the Victoria Street building collapse in George, nearly a year ago, would have been insulted, shocked, and deeply disappointed by today’s proceedings. The Western Cape Standing Committee on Infrastructure staged a hollow performance of oversight, feigning an investigation into the cause of the tragedy.
The meeting was convened for the national Minister of Human Settlements to present her investigation into the NHBRC’s role and failures. She didn’t show up.
But even more shocking was the silence from the Provincial Government. Despite completing its own investigation, it failed to present the final report. MEC for Infrastructure Tertius Simmers tried to shield this omission behind vague “legal advice” but could not point to any law justifying the withholding of the report from the Committee, the public, or the victims’ families. Citing “respect for the rule of law” while refusing to account to a constitutional oversight body is not only ironic but also indefensible.
The Standing Committee on Infrastructure exists because of the rule of law. It is empowered by the Constitution to summon witnesses, demand documents, and ensure transparency. If the Committee is serious about uncovering the truth, it must act accordingly. It must summon the Premier, the legal advisor, the investigators (B3), and the Provincial Commissioner of Police. Anything less is a betrayal of its mandate.
We also learned that the George Municipality, while conducting its own technical investigation, sought a legal opinion on liability before receiving the technical findings. That raises serious questions about whether it is attempting to manage legal risk rather than uncover the truth. A determination of liability should flow from facts, not precede them.
The victims’ families deserve more than symbolic meetings and political theatre. To honour those who died and prevent another disaster, the Committee must demand full transparency and a genuine reckoning with what went wrong on 6 May 2024.
That begins with summoning those who have already investigated this disaster, starting with the Premier and the Minister of Human Settlements.