George Building Collapse: How you can donate and help

Updated May 9, 2024, 12:25 p.m. | By Jacaranda FM

The George Municipality urges the public to donate supplies to rescue workers at the building collapse site. This is how you can help and support...

George Building collapse new — X:@alanwinde

On Monday, 6 May, at 14:09, a multi-storey construction site at 75 Victoria Street in George in the Western Cape collapsed.

Search and rescue efforts were underway immediately following the collapse.

According to Jacaranda FM reporter Mmangaliso Khumalo, eight people have died since the collapse, and 29 have been rescued safely and are currently being treated.

A total of 44 people who were on-site on the day are yet to be found.

Initially, it was thought that 75 people were unaccounted for, but after a meeting with the Department of Labour, files showed that more people were on-site.

Gift of the Givers has assisted rescue personnel, survivors, and the families of those caught in the rubble with gloves, lip balm, blankets, jackets, and sanitary pads. He added that the community of George have also been superb in assisting victims and personnel.

Here are ways how you can help:

The Municipality calls for donations of safety goggles, headlamps, drinking water, energy drinks, wine gums, and food for the emergency services while they are on site.
Donations can be delivered to the tent site via Ivy Street at 79 Victoria Street, Delplan Consulting which is being manned by Gift of the Givers and Herman Pienaar of LoveGeorge.
Those wanting to help can also contact Gift of the Givers' Mario Ferreira on 082 490 2752 and Herman Pienaar on 082 829 6428.
Safety equipment including safety goggles, headlamps and construction gloves can also be dropped off at the GRDM Fire Station, Pearl Road, Tamsui Industria.

Financial donations can be sent to the following account:

George Municipality: Relief and Charitable Fund

ABSA BANK - Cheque Acc: 9149554208

On Thursday, Breakfast with Martin Bester spoke to Dr Imtiaz Sooliman from Gift of the Givers after a building collapsed in George.

Dr Sooliman said that when he first saw the pictures, he knew that this was an extreme tragedy as the building was completely "pancaked".

When sniffer dogs first arrived on the scene, four people were pulled out safely.

"I don't follow the 72-hour rule, but with each hour passing, sniffer dogs are not picking up any more scents of alive people, and they are picking up more scents of deceased people."

Dr Sooliman added that the chances of more survivors is looking "very slim" based on what survivors from the tragedy are saying, as well as the response from the sniffer dogs.