SA search and rescue team sent to Lagos

Maite Nkoana-Mashabane says an experience search and rescue team has been sent to Lagos to assist with identifying or rescuing South Africans killed or injured when a building collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria. Image: GCIS

The ten-member team comprises a variety of people with expertise in dealing with search and rescue events.

This follows an announcement by President Jacob Zuma that at least 67 South Africans were killed when the building collapsed at the Synagogue Church of All Nations last week. The death toll has since risen to 70.

"Government has activated a disaster management process and is treating the matter with the utmost urgency and understands the anguish and pain of the affected families," said Nkoana-Mashabane..

"I am also able to confirm that an advanced team from the disaster management centre are in Nigeria," she said.

She said the South African Consular General was on the scene and working with local authorities to get as much information as possible.

Nkoana-Mashabane said affected families would be assisted with identifying their loved ones and the repatriation of the remains of the victims.

She said the department has a hotline, (012-351-1000) for families and relatives to call and get consular assistance.

The department has also set up an Operations Room in Pretoria which provides consular services and advice to families 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

South Africans can also contact the department by making use of the Registration of South Africans Abroad (ROSA) website and email facility International Relations and Cooperation.

The Minister appealed to the families to send pictures of their loved ones to the department, on the e-mail address consular@dirco.gov.za. She said this would help officials identify the victims during the search and rescue operations.