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19 December 2025
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Tragedy at Verulam when four storey temple collapses, Durban
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On Friday, 12 December 2025, a four-storey structure under construction at the New Ahobilam Temple of Protection in Redcliffe, Verulam, north of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, collapsed during construction activity, reportedly while concrete was being poured on the upper levels. The temple, situated on the River Range Ranch, was built to resemble a cave. Five people including temple founder Vick Panday, Vasudeva Datta Das, Kishore Hurribhujan, Jayseelan (Jayce) Perumal and Abdul Prabhus died in the collapse. Survivors were communicating via voice notes from under the building.
The collapse happened in the early afternoon and immediately overwhelmed the site with debris, concrete slabs and structural wreckage, trapping workers and others beneath.
Within minutes of the collapse, emergency services were dispatched to the scene, including the SAPS, eThekwini Municipality Fire and Rescue Services, Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), SARZA KZN, IPSS Medical Rescue, KZN VIP Emergency Services and a number of search and rescue specialists as well as firefighters and medical first responders. These teams worked alongside Provincial Disaster Management officials to coordinate the response.
Emergency responders faced hazardous conditions from the outset: thick concrete rubble, exposed rebar, unstable structural elements and a steep hill at the site made access difficult and dangerous. Heavy machinery, including cranes and lifting gear, was brought in to lift large slabs and clear access to voids where people were believed to be trapped.
Emotional scenes unfolded as some trapped voices were heard early in the operation, although these calls for help eventually fell silent, complicating hopes for live rescue.
One particularly tragic story emerged when a first responder, Devan Perumal, discovered his own father — Jayaseelan “Jayce” Perumal — trapped and later killed beneath the rubble, highlighting the deeply personal toll on emergency teams.
Search and rescue operations continued methodically, often paused due to weather or safety concerns but always coordinated across agencies.
After the recovery of the fifth body and mounting safety risks, the search-and-rescue phase was formally called off, and the focus shifted to clearing debris and securing the site. Meyrick said that on Monday, the SA Police Service’s search and rescue and eThekwini fire and emergency services sent a small team to look again with the dogs and also again to walk through the site.
“It will remain a crime scene because they will have to investigate what happened,” noted Meyrick. She said that over the weekend, the SA Police Service told her that it will be up to the engineers from the municipality to come in and work to start clearing the site. “They’ll hand it over to the engineers, (but if there are new developments) then search and rescue will be called back in to do the recovery,” Meyrick said. “We work mostly with the search and rescue side of it, and we’ve basically been stood down until there’s any further development.”
The collapsed site was declared a crime scene and handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure for a full investigation.
Initial inspections and expert assessments have revealed alarming concerns: No approved building plans or permits were ever issued for the structure, meaning construction was technically illegal. There are suspicions of substandard materials, misaligned structural elements and possible construction negligence, including issues with formwork or shuttering during concrete pour operations. These failures may have contributed to a sudden structural collapse, a scenario investigators are scrutinising in forensic detail.
The Public Works Minister has indicated that the investigation may lead to criminal proceedings or regulatory reforms based on its findings.
Full structural and legal investigations will determine responsibility.
George building collapse investigators brought in for Verulam temple disaster probe
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson says the investigators will work alongside the local SAPS and a team of labour inspectors. Speaking at a media briefing in Mayville, Macpherson said preliminary findings point to a sudden structural failure, possibly triggered by formwork giving way. He said it was particularly concerning that local authorities have indicated that the building plans were not approved and permits for construction were not issued.
Macpherson says bringing in experienced investigators will help ensure accountability and justice for the affected families. "The purpose of this request is not to replace local investigative capacity but to strengthen it by drawing on experience gained in a similar tragedy, particularly in navigating the technical evidentiary and regulatory complexes that arise in cases of major structural failures."
Sources: The Witness, Durban City Council, IOL, IPSS Medical Rescue,
The collapse happened in the early afternoon and immediately overwhelmed the site with debris, concrete slabs and structural wreckage, trapping workers and others beneath.
Within minutes of the collapse, emergency services were dispatched to the scene, including the SAPS, eThekwini Municipality Fire and Rescue Services, Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), SARZA KZN, IPSS Medical Rescue, KZN VIP Emergency Services and a number of search and rescue specialists as well as firefighters and medical first responders. These teams worked alongside Provincial Disaster Management officials to coordinate the response.
Emergency responders faced hazardous conditions from the outset: thick concrete rubble, exposed rebar, unstable structural elements and a steep hill at the site made access difficult and dangerous. Heavy machinery, including cranes and lifting gear, was brought in to lift large slabs and clear access to voids where people were believed to be trapped.
Emotional scenes unfolded as some trapped voices were heard early in the operation, although these calls for help eventually fell silent, complicating hopes for live rescue.
One particularly tragic story emerged when a first responder, Devan Perumal, discovered his own father — Jayaseelan “Jayce” Perumal — trapped and later killed beneath the rubble, highlighting the deeply personal toll on emergency teams.
Search and rescue operations continued methodically, often paused due to weather or safety concerns but always coordinated across agencies.
After the recovery of the fifth body and mounting safety risks, the search-and-rescue phase was formally called off, and the focus shifted to clearing debris and securing the site. Meyrick said that on Monday, the SA Police Service’s search and rescue and eThekwini fire and emergency services sent a small team to look again with the dogs and also again to walk through the site.
“It will remain a crime scene because they will have to investigate what happened,” noted Meyrick. She said that over the weekend, the SA Police Service told her that it will be up to the engineers from the municipality to come in and work to start clearing the site. “They’ll hand it over to the engineers, (but if there are new developments) then search and rescue will be called back in to do the recovery,” Meyrick said. “We work mostly with the search and rescue side of it, and we’ve basically been stood down until there’s any further development.”
The collapsed site was declared a crime scene and handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure for a full investigation.
Initial inspections and expert assessments have revealed alarming concerns: No approved building plans or permits were ever issued for the structure, meaning construction was technically illegal. There are suspicions of substandard materials, misaligned structural elements and possible construction negligence, including issues with formwork or shuttering during concrete pour operations. These failures may have contributed to a sudden structural collapse, a scenario investigators are scrutinising in forensic detail.
The Public Works Minister has indicated that the investigation may lead to criminal proceedings or regulatory reforms based on its findings.
Full structural and legal investigations will determine responsibility.
George building collapse investigators brought in for Verulam temple disaster probe
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson says the investigators will work alongside the local SAPS and a team of labour inspectors. Speaking at a media briefing in Mayville, Macpherson said preliminary findings point to a sudden structural failure, possibly triggered by formwork giving way. He said it was particularly concerning that local authorities have indicated that the building plans were not approved and permits for construction were not issued.
Macpherson says bringing in experienced investigators will help ensure accountability and justice for the affected families. "The purpose of this request is not to replace local investigative capacity but to strengthen it by drawing on experience gained in a similar tragedy, particularly in navigating the technical evidentiary and regulatory complexes that arise in cases of major structural failures."
Sources: The Witness, Durban City Council, IOL, IPSS Medical Rescue,
