- Govt calls for specialised rescue equipment after incident
BY SIBUSISEKILE NDLANGAMANDLA
MANZINI – The structural collapse at Bhunu Mall has prompted Government to intensify scrutiny of safety standards at commercial buildings while also exposing the need for better-equipped emergency response teams capable of handling complex structural disasters.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development Apollo Maphalala visited Bhunu Mall on Thursday to assess the situation on the ground and oversee recovery efforts following Tuesday’s incident at the Identity Clothing store.
The incident involved debris from an upper-level construction area, which trapped 26-year-old shop assistant Tiyandza Millenia Masilela.
The collapse has now shifted attention beyond the immediate recovery operation to a wider national conversation about construction safety, emergency preparedness and the protection of workers and members of the public inside commercial buildings.
During his inspection, Maphalala said Government wanted safety standards strengthened while ensuring emergency teams were better prepared for incidents involving collapsed structures.
He said one of the lessons emerging from the Bhunu Mall incident was the need for specialised machinery and advanced rescue equipment.
Structural collapses can present rescuers with difficult and dangerous conditions, particularly when victims are trapped beneath concrete, steel or other heavy material. Having the correct equipment can therefore become critical in determining how quickly and safely emergency personnel are able to reach those affected.
Maphalala said Government agencies would need to improve their rescue capabilities through investment in specialised machinery and modern equipment designed for emergencies of this nature.
The minister also commended emergency personnel involved in responding to the Bhunu Mall incident.
At the same time, he assured the public that rigorous safety audits were being undertaken as authorities seek to protect both employees and members of the public.
Government’s response is therefore expected to extend beyond establishing what happened at Bhunu Mall.
Maphalala indicated that attention would also be placed on strengthening safety measures across commercial buildings in the country, signalling that the incident could become an important reference point in improving construction and building-safety oversight.
The minister stressed that strengthening emergency response capacity would help ensure rescue teams are able to react more effectively should a similar structural disaster occur in future.
Investment in specialised machinery would also reduce some of the difficulties emergency personnel may encounter when carrying out rescue operations in unstable or partially collapsed buildings.
Meanwhile, investigations and technical assessments into the incident are continuing.
J&E Construction General Manager Carl Smith said the company’s directors and technical teams were compiling preliminary incident reports and conducting inspections at the site.
The technical assessment is expected to provide information that will help determine the next steps following the collapse.
For shoppers, employees and businesses operating from commercial centres, the Bhunu Mall incident has brought building safety sharply into focus.
What began as an emergency at one retail outlet could ultimately lead to broader improvements in the way commercial structures are monitored and how the country prepares for structural emergencies.
Government has made it clear that its response will not end with the immediate recovery effort.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development says strengthening safety standards and emergency-response systems will remain central as authorities work to ensure that lessons from the Bhunu Mall incident translate into stronger protection for EmaSwati.
