Collapsed house: Search continues for victims

It was still unclear on Tuesday (19/08/2014) morning how many people remained unaccounted for after a house collapsed in Alberton on Johannesburg's East Rand.

At least seven people were killed in the accident.

"We have to find out how many people were there and how many people are still missing, but for now the search will continue until we can verify those issues," Ekurhuleni emergency services spokesman William Ntladi said.

"So far we have 11 people that survived, eight have been hospitalised and seven people died. The search was called off late last (Monday) night. For now we can say the search will continue."

He said the search would resume on Tuesday at 10am the latest.

On Monday, the number of people killed was revised to seven, from nine.

Part of a house in the Meyersdal Eco Estate in Alberton collapsed while builders were working on it on Monday morning.

The upmarket estate was also in the news earlier this month when two giraffes were removed from there. The giraffes were being transported in a truck on the N1 highway when one of them hit its head on a bridge and died.

Last week, the Gauteng agriculture department said the estate was being investigated over whether it had the correct permits to bring in and keep giraffes. - Sapa