6 dead, 2 trapped after concrete floor collapses at Johannesburg construction site

A concrete floor collapsed at a construction site in Johannesburg on Monday, killing at least six people and leaving two others trapped under the rubble, with three more missing, emergency officials said.

The incident occurred in the southern suburb of Ormonde when an upper-level concrete floor under construction gave way, falling onto workers below. One person has been successfully rescued so far.

Johannesburg Emergency Management Services spokesperson Xolile Khumalo said the site structure remains extremely unstable, with ongoing partial collapses posing significant risks to rescue personnel.

Public Safety official Mgcini Tshwaku stated the collapse occurred in an area under active construction, and it has not yet been confirmed whether all victims were construction workers. One trapped man has his leg pinned under a large concrete slab and may require amputation, with surgeons dispatched to assess the situation.

Tshwaku emphasized the priority is rescuing all trapped individuals, with an investigation to follow examining whether construction was properly approved and safety regulations were followed.

South Africa has seen similar tragedies, including a 2024 building collapse in George that killed 34 construction workers after multiple safety violations.