https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Engineer absent from mall inspection

13th February 2014

By: Sapa

  

Font size: - +

A structural engineer was not always present to ensure that concrete slabs at Tongaat shopping mall in Durban were correctly installed, an inquiry heard on Thursday.

Rishen Naidoo of Freyssinet Posten said he was responsible for checking the post-tensioning cables of concrete slabs.

Only two of his reports indicated that structural engineer Andre Ballack was on site when he did his inspections.

Ballack only signed one of the reports while Naidoo noted on another that Ballack was present.

Asked if this was irregular, Naidoo said: "Irrespective of whether the engineer is on site I have to do my inspection."

Naidoo was giving evidence before a three-man commission of inquiry into the collapse of the Tongaat mall, outside Durban, on Tuesday, November 19, while it was still under construction. Two people were killed and 29 others injured.

The commission is headed by the labour department's occupational health and safety manager Phumudzo Maphaha.

Naidoo said his inspection had to take place prior to concrete being poured. On one occasion he had been asked by his immediate superior to inspect a slab to ensure that reinforcing steel had been correctly laid.

Naidoo said on that occasion, on October 7, he noticed that five cables were missing and that some bars had been laid incorrectly.

The person responsible for putting the steel bars and cables into place had either not finished his work or "he was incompetent on this particular slab".

Naidoo said when he worked with other clients the structural engineer would usually be on site when he conducted his inspections.

He said he was aware that the eThekwini Metro municipality had obtained a court order to stop construction on the site.

"But then I was told that everything was sorted and the work continued."

Edited by Sapa

Article Enquiry

Email Article

Save Article

Feedback

To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here

Showroom

Bell Equipment
Bell Equipment

As one of South Africa's leading manufacturers, Bell Equipment distributes and exports its wide range of heavy equipment globally to mining,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
SABAT
SABAT

From batteries for boats and jet skis, to batteries for cars and quad bikes, SABAT Batteries has positioned itself as the lifestyle battery of...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







301

sq:0.056 0.844s - 135pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now