Verulam building collapse: Council for the Built Environment scrutinises construction breaches

The tragic building collapse at the New Ahobilam Temple of Protection in Redcliffe, Verulam, on Friday has prompted urgent scrutiny from the Council for the Built Environment (CBE), following a preliminary investigation that revealed extensive breaches of construction regulations and safety protocols. 

The collapse, which resulted in the deaths of five people and injuries to 11 others, has raised critical questions.

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson said that the collapsed structure was a reinforced concrete multi-storey building under construction, featuring concrete columns, flat slabs, and masonry walls. The collapse happened during concrete pouring on the upper levels.

“Preliminary evidence, including available video footage, points to a sudden structural failure, most likely triggered by a formwork or shuttering failure during the pumping of wet concrete,” Macpherson said. 

“Such a failure can impose significant and abnormal dynamic loads on the floors below - loads that no building is structurally designed to withstand - resulting in a rapid and progressive collapse.” 

Macpherson cited serious concerns from early visual assessments about construction quality, including misaligned structural elements and potentially substandard materials. Rescue personnel also reported friable concrete on site, requiring further forensic testing.

“Of particular concern are preliminary indications from the relevant authorities that no approved building plans were submitted, that no construction permits were issued, and that the building may have been occupied prior to the issuance of an occupation certificate, all of which would constitute serious contraventions of the National Building Regulations and Standards,” Macpherson said. 

“In the absence of these submissions, the relevant authorities were deprived of the opportunity to inspect, monitor, or intervene during construction.” 

The Minister said the site has been classified as a “crime scene” and will be handed over to the Department of Employment and Labour to continue with statutory investigations alongside other authorities. 

“The final determination of the precise failure mechanism will be made through the detailed forensic investigation, as multiple potential contributing factors remain under examination. However, it is already clear from the preliminary findings that serious lapses occurred in the construction of this building, and these lapses will require full investigation and accountability,” Macpherson said. 

CBE chief executive officer, Dr Msizi Myeza, said the preliminary investigation made a total of 13 findings, which have been broadly categorised in the following categories:

1. Contravention and non-compliance with legislation governing the built environment and construction

“We confirm that the structure was a four-storey reinforced concrete building, with concrete columns and flat slabs with masonry infill panels. Contravention of National Building Regulations and Building Standards, Municipal By-laws, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Spatial Land Use Management Act, and violation of health and safety. We conclude that the River Ranch Temple was unauthorised, unlawful and unsupervised, illegal,” Myeza said.

2. Sub-standard material and construction methods

“The samples were subjected to concrete lab testing where the preliminary testing confirmed excessive voids in the concrete and a breach of standard concrete practice,” Myeza said.

3. Formwork 

He said the formwork appears to have triggered the collapse of the building.

4. Slabs and concrete

He also said slabs appear to be very thin, inadequately reinforced, and not very robust. 

Myeza said the CBE will undertake a detailed investigative enquiry into the River Ranch Temple collapse in Redcliffe, through an integrated three-component approach comprising: 

1. A technical investigation (structural, engineering considerations, and compliance with applicable building codes, standards, and regulations) 
2. A governance and regulatory enquiry (the roles, conduct, and accountability of built environment professionals involved, oversight, inspection, and municipal approval processes across the development lifecycle), and 
3. An analysis of systemic and structural weaknesses, to inform practical recommendations aimed at preventing similar incidents in future.

Myeza said the scope of the investigation will include the CBE and other regulators undertaking a professional and governance enquiry as mandated by their respective legislations. 

Regarding a criminal enquiry, Myeza said a court of law working with law enforcement agencies will determine if negligence caused the deaths of five people and injuries to 11 others.

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