New inspector to head Grayston Drive inquiry

© Mark Atkins – 123RF.com

Department of Labour Chief Inspector: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), Tibor Szana, made the announcement on Thursday.

Maphaha, who will take over from Lennie Samuel, who has been presiding since the Inquiry was set up, previously presided over the Tongaat Mall Structural Collapse Inquiry and the Meyersdal Structural Collapse Incident Inquiry.

Szana said unfortunately, Samuel has taken ill and is no longer in a position to continue presiding over the Inquiry.

“I have subsequently appointed Mr Maphaha as the presiding inspector to take over from Mr Samuel due to the gravity of his illness,” Szana said.

The Grayston Drive Pedestrian and cyclist structural bridge collapse inquiry was announced by the Department of Labour in 2015.

The Section 32 hearing was set up by the Department of Labour to investigate negligence that may have resulted in occupational injuries and deaths of people.

This followed a 14 October 2015 incident which happened at approximately 15:25 and led to the death of two people and injury to 19 persons.

The Grayston Inquiry had its first sitting in February 2016. The inquiry last held its sitting on 27 September 2017 and was postponed to July 2018.

The Grayston Drive Pedestrian and cyclist structural bridge collapse Inquiry was set up to investigate the following:

• The responsibility of the client in terms of construction regulations;
  
• The responsibility of the principal constructor in terms of the construction regulations and as an employer;
  
• The responsibility of the agent on behalf of the client in terms of the same regulations;
  
• Supplier of materials; and
  
• Design.

Stakeholders in the inquiry include: the Johannesburg Municipality as the Client, Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) as the Agent, Royal HaskoningDHV an Engineering company appointed by JDA as the engineering agent for the project, Murray & Roberts (MR) Infrastructure - as the Principal Contractor appointed by JDA, Form-Scaff - as the contractor appointed by (MR), the people/person injured in the incident, the Engineering Council of South Africa and NUM representing employees of Murray & Roberts affiliated to the union.

To date, expert witnesses that have appeared before the inquiry include: J. M Roelf an expert witness representing Murray and Roberts, Richard Beneke, an expert witness representing Murray and Roberts, Ric Snowden, an expert witness representing Murray and Roberts, Dr. Stefanus Francois van Zyl, an expert witness representing Murray and Roberts, as well as Garry Farrow, an expert witness of Form-Scaff.