Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-08-18

Five people were crushed to death and seven others have been treated for injuries after a townhouse under construction collapsed south of Johannesburg, on Monday.

Another nine were believed to be trapped under rubble.

Netcare 911 spokeswoman Santie Steimann said they received the distress call at 10.27am on Monday and sent out rescue workers and an ambulance to the scene in an eco-estate in Meyersdal.

According to Steimann, the unit was under construction when “everything from the roof down” collapsed on a team of builders working on the site.

Steinman confirmed that five people were dead, seven had been treated on the scene and had been taken to hospital and more people were still missing.

“At this stage we believe it to be around nine people trapped, but that is not yet confirmed,” she said.

The cause of the accident is not known.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)