The Tongaat shopping mall is set to be rebuilt

The Tongaat shopping mall, which partially collapsed, killing two people two years ago, is to be rebuilt. 

Developers who have bought the mall from the original developer, Rectangle Property Investments, say some of the existing structures would have to be demolished.

The R208-million mall project came to a halt after a portion of the building under construction collapsed in November 2013.
A labour department commission of inquiry, which ended earlier this year, was established to determine whether negligence led to the collapse.

The inquiry heard there had been a flouting of labour regulations. Court orders to stop work at the site had also been ignored. Issues of shoddy workmanship, poor concrete strength and poor construction methods had also been raised.

The commission’s report had been forwarded to the National Prosecuting Authority to determine whether anyone should be prosecuted. A decision has not yet been made.

On Tuesday it emerged in court papers that Rectangle Property had signed a sale of property agreement for the mall with property developers Keystone Investments, the developer for other shopping centres south of Durban.
Keystone Investments’ chief executive Holger Peens confirmed on Tuesday that there was an agreement for the purchase of the property subject to certain conditions.

He said the site was still under the control of the labour department and no construction could start until it had been released and approval processes had been completed.