[imageource:screensht/x/@mohaukgolokwane]

Several people were injured on Thursday evening when the balcony at The Athletic Club & Social on Castle Street in Cape Town collapsed.

The City of Cape Town’s disaster risk management spokesperson, Charlotte Powell, confirmed that the incident at around 6 PM last night, with 21 people being taken to hospital for various injuries. Fortunately, there were no fatalities reported.

Social media was flooded with distressing images and videos of people being attended to as they lay among the rubble on Castle Street as news of the ‘accident’ spread. The scenes are distressing to watch, so be warned, but this raises serious questions over safety at some of Cape Town’s hotspots – some of which are housed in Cape Town’s very old buildings.

Disaster struck during First Thursdays which is a ‘cultural event’ that takes place in Johannesburg and Cape Town on the first Thursday of every month.

Shocking video from an unknown source that has been widely circulated on social media showed the destruction immediately after the collapse (warning):

(If you took this video, please get in touch, we’d like to credit you, and have some questions.)

5 people injured 🚨 pic.twitter.com/7DmMiXBz2e

— Anonymous Community Safety Reports (@MohauKgolokwane) November 2, 2023

21 injured at Cape Town’s Athletic Club & Social after balcony collapsehttps://t.co/phLCGK1Qon#DStv403 #eNCA #QuestionThinkAct #TheSouthAfricanMorning pic.twitter.com/I3WOVVlSaq

— The South African Morning (@TheSAMorning) November 3, 2023

Damn, Athletic Club & Social balcony collapsed today. People got injured😳💔 pic.twitter.com/QLuzbxYJaj

— Lady Lee (@missleem) November 2, 2023

By Friday morning, cleaning crews had already removed the remains of the collapsed balcony.

We hope everyone involved in this makes a full recovery.

[source:da&capetownetc]

thanks didi