The site of the Tongaat Mall may be facing a secondary collapse.

The supporting pillars having been taking strain since the mall collapsed in November last year and a number of them are gradually caving.

The Thongathi Mall Commission of Inquiry recently paid another visit to the site to drill the beams to expose fixed steel reinforcement in order to assess whether it conforms with the design. At the site to oversee the drilling was Gralio Precast Chief Executive Jay Singh, the owner of company that built the mall, the foreman Ronnie Pillay, Department of Labour inspectors, and an engineer.

The structural collapse site has been under 24-hour guard, and the Thongathi Commission of Inquiry’s Presiding Officer Phumudzo Maphaha had cautioned that no one was allowed on site without authorisation.

The inquiry heard this week that the mall was built without any approval of plans by the Ethekwini Municipality.

The Thongathi Mall Commission of Inquiry will resume in September 2014 with further testimony from engineers. The commission is expected to culminate with evidence from Singh, the owner of the company behind the construction.