The inquiry into the collapse of the Tongaat Mall, in which two people were killed, will continue on Thursday. On Wednesday, the commission of inquiry in Durban heard that strength tests were never carried out on the concrete used in the columns supporting the ill-fated Tongaat Mall.

Ronnie Pillay, a foreman at Gralio Precast (Pty) Ltd, told the labour department inquiry investigating the collapse that he was never aware of the results of any of the tests carried out on concrete that was poured at the construction site.

He was unable to answer the department’s occupational health and safety manager Phumudzo Maphaha’s question as to why no tests had been carried out on the columns.

Maphaha asked Pillay if he was aware that tests carried out at the time of construction on the concrete strength of the slabs and beams were below the required 30 mega-pascals required.

“They didn’t bring it to our attention that the concrete was not to the right strength,” he said.

Two people were killed and 29 injured on November 19 last year. SAPA