Unrealistic costs, pressure to complete building quickly, cutting corners and lack of both construction and management skills have contributed to a spate of construction site collapses, according to Colin de Kock, executive director of the Master Builders' Association.
In the latest accident, in Little Falls, Roodepoort, where two workers were killed and 15 injured, a little-known company, Dunehill Investments, is the contractor.
The company is listed on the National Homebuilders Registration Council website as a registered builder.
"Although I am not pointing fingers, no one appears to have heard of this company. We tried to send someone to investigate, but police would not allow us on site," De Kock said.
Making it clear he was not speaking specifically about last week's collapse, he said "there is a lack of skills in the industry these days".
Managers had to know basic things like curing times for cement. Also, builders' clients pushed for time, and tenders came in at lower prices.
"Designs and drawings are also not perfect. Big developments are under pressure. Cumulatively, this is leading to these accidents," De Kock said, adding that the construction industry, in general, did not have a good record for adhering to health and safety regulations.
"What builders and developers do not understand is that safe sites are productive sites. It costs a bit more money, but having a neat, clean, safe site sees production improving overnight," De Kock said.
City of Johannesburg spokesperson Nthatisi Modingoane said the Little Falls office block was not an illegal development, "in the sense that there were approved building plans".
"The structural integrity of the building is, however, the responsibility of a professional engineer, who was appointed by the developer in February.
In terms of the National Building Regulations, all aspects of construction are under the supervision and control of an engineer."
The building control directorate had issued a notice to stop all work on the site, Modingoane added.
"The owner has been instructed to appoint a professional person to investigate the cause of the structural failure, and further building is not permitted until the report has been provided.
The minister of labour has visited the site, and the department of labour may also be involved in investigations in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act."
Sapa reported on Sunday that the labour department has been quoted by the SABC as saying the building hadn't registered with the department.
"What we have determined up until now is that the contractor did not inform the department that construction was taking place there," said labour department investigator Kenny Fick.
This means health and safety checks at the site would not have been done by the department.
On Friday, The Star quoted workers at the site as saying "inspectors" had checked the building the day prior to the collapse and had told the workers to continue with the construction - but these "inspectors" were not from the department.
Fick said the department would investigate the cause of the accident in the next few days.
Modingoane pointed out that only a small number of companies develop without building plans, but in all instances, these were reported and dealt with.
"A major challenge in terms of illegal development is not with large developments, but the small additions, alterations and developments on residential properties, and these are dealt with on an ongoing basis," he said.
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