As the tally of workers retrieved from the collapsed construction site in George remained unchanged at 36 for most of Wednesday — with 39 people unaccounted for — a sister of one of the workers retrieved on Tuesday prayed for her brother to heal.
The death toll moved to eight in the latest update from the George municipality at 9pm on Wednesday. There were 75 workers on site when the building collapsed on Monday afternoon.
Vuyokazi George said her family was grateful that rescue workers were able to retrieve Lunga Sindela.
“We ask God to wake him up so that he can work again,” George said of her brother, who is the only working member of their household in Thembalethu.
She said Sindela, who has three children, left home around 7am on Monday and the family heard about the site collapse at 2.30pm.
“We are very lost and our hearts are very broken,” George said.
Families still harbour hope 48 hours after George building collapse
'We are very lost and our hearts are very broken' — sister of missing worker
Image: George municipality
As the tally of workers retrieved from the collapsed construction site in George remained unchanged at 36 for most of Wednesday — with 39 people unaccounted for — a sister of one of the workers retrieved on Tuesday prayed for her brother to heal.
The death toll moved to eight in the latest update from the George municipality at 9pm on Wednesday. There were 75 workers on site when the building collapsed on Monday afternoon.
Vuyokazi George said her family was grateful that rescue workers were able to retrieve Lunga Sindela.
“We ask God to wake him up so that he can work again,” George said of her brother, who is the only working member of their household in Thembalethu.
She said Sindela, who has three children, left home around 7am on Monday and the family heard about the site collapse at 2.30pm.
“We are very lost and our hearts are very broken,” George said.
Gracium Msiska, the uncle of Gift Kasonda, an 18-year-old general worker who is still trapped under the rubble, said what the families of the workers needed from authorities was better communication about those who were being retrieved.
“So far we are not sure who has been taken to hospital because we are not given full information. We are not sure whether Gift is still there or if he is in hospital. We are still asking here and there. Officials are not giving us the full information,” Msiska said.
Msiska said Kasonda arrived from Malawi in October last year and started working at the site in November. He lives in Thembalethu in accommodation he shares with a friend.
“We thank Georgians for all the support. What we are hoping for is for my nephew to be found. They are still digging and we are hoping God will help us,” Msiska said.
Msiska said there were social workers providing support and churches offering spiritual services.
In the update, the municipality said of the patients in hospital, 16 are critical, six have life-threatening injuries and seven have minor injuries.
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