South African authorities have confirmed the death toll from last week’s structural collapse at a Hindu temple construction site has reached five victims as investigative teams initiate a formal probe into the catastrophic incident. The multistory building, which was under illegal construction atop the Verulam temple complex approximately 25 kilometers north of Durban, catastrophically failed last Friday during expansion operations. Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda verified that search and recovery teams extracted four additional bodies from the wreckage over the weekend, supplementing the initial fatality confirmed at the scene. Officials have withheld victim identities and declined to specify how many individuals might remain trapped within the debris. Preliminary investigations by Durban’s regional government reveal the construction project lacked legally mandated building approvals, prompting Verulam law enforcement to open an official inquest. The temple complex, situated on a steep incline overlooking pastoral land, suffered sudden structural failure shortly before noon on Friday, with municipal photographs depicting horrifying scenes of twisted steel reinforcement, shattered concrete pillars, and massive rubble accumulation. Local government authorities emphasized that clearance operations will require extensive time due to necessary safety protocols for systematic debris removal. South Africa’s Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities issued a statement acknowledging the profound trauma inflicted upon worshippers, families, and the broader community, noting that sacred spaces represent fundamental sanctuaries for spiritual practice and communal solidarity. Hinduism constitutes a minority faith practiced by under two percent of South Africa’s population, with its strongest presence in the KwaZulu-Natal region where this tragedy occurred.