George building collapse: More workers unaccounted for
The number of workers on site at the time of the George building collapse hase been revised to 81.
It was initially thought that there was 75 workers on site when the multi-storey building that was under construction, caved in on Monday afternoon.
Following talks with Department of Labour it was revealed that there were 81 people on site.
Western Cape MEC Anton Bredell confirmed the new revised numbers to Jacaranda FM News early on Thursday morning.
"Currently, we managed to get 37 people out, eight unfortunately deceased, but what had happened yesterday (Wednesday) is that there is an added six people to the total. You'll recall that we said that we were looking for 75 people but now its 81 because we managed to get the files back from the Department of Labour. So, that bring up the total to 44 of people that are unaccounted for from the initial 38."
The massive search and rescue operation was briefly halted on Wednesday when rescuers tried to find the source of a "sound or tapping" coming from under the shattered concrete slabs, said George Mayor Leon Van Wyk.
But hopes were quickly fading when no more sound could be heard coming from under the rubble by later on Wednesday.
Operations were to enter the "body recovering" phase over the next day "as opposed to rescue", Van Wyk told national broadcaster SABC.
Twenty-nine of the 75 workers who were at the site when the incident occurred have been pulled out of the rubble alive.
Six have life-threatening injuries and 16 are in critical condition.
The tally remained unchanged for most of the day on Wednesday, but in the evening authorities said they had retrieved another body, bringing the death toll to eight.
The Western Cape government is expected to update the media on the latest outcomes at 2pm on Thursday.
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