/ 8 July 1999

BRIDGE TRAGEDY CONTINUES

A COMMEMORATIVE service was held in Bushbuckridge, Northern Province, on Tuesday in memory of the 13 people who died exactly a year ago when the Injaka Bridge collapsed on July 6 last year. The families of some of the deceased are taking civil action against the designers of the bridge, Van Niekerk Klein & Edwards Engineering (VKE) and the construction company, Concor Construction, accusing the companies of negligence. Testimony at the inquiry indicated that cracks were showing in the bridge two weeks before it collapsed. ”One year after the bridge collapsed, my clients have not been compensated,” said legal representative for the families of three Concor workers who died in the disaster, Richard Spoor. ”They didn’t even get workman’s compensation they’re entitled to.” The families are suing VKE and Concor, as well as former Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Kader Asmal, whose department appointed them as agents.