Meeting planned ahead of house collapse inquiry

Johannesburg - A meeting will be held in Pretoria on Thursday ahead of an inquiry into a house collapse which killed seven people in Alberton, the labour department said.

The inquiry's terms of reference and commencement date would be announced at the meeting, the department said in a statement on Tuesday.

Seven workers were killed and nine injured when the house in the Meyersdal Eco Estate, Alberton, south of Johannesburg, collapsed last on Monday.

Phumudzo Maphaha, a senior labour department specialist, had been appointed inquiry chairperson. Maphaha would be helped by other department officials, including principal inspector Christo du Preez and specialist inspector Lesibe Raphela.

Maphaha said the meeting was about introducing all parties to the public, and outlining their roles before the inquiry began its work.

Last week, the Ekurhuleni municipality said no building plans for the house were submitted for approval.