Phumudzo Maphaha has been appointed as the new Presiding Inspector over the Grayston Drive Pedestrian and cyclist structural bridge collapse inquiry.

Maphaha, who will take over from Lennie Samuel, previously presided over the Tongaat Mall Structural Collapse Inquiry and the Meyersdal Structural Collapse Incident Inquiry.

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

Background

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.