South Africa building collapse: How I survived under the rubble in George

He scrolled through the photos he had of Zyar and remembered the last time he saw him. Mr Safers’ mother had also sent him a recent photo of his son to keep his spirits up.

After eight hours of working near him, the rescuers managed to free one of his colleagues.

“I couldn’t breathe at the time. I knew I had to be strong and they were here now and would get me out,” he says.

But alongside the relief, there were also the recurring feelings of guilt and sadness because a lot of people were still trapped inside – and some had died. The death toll now stands at 32.

Finally, after more than 28 hours under the rubble, Mr Safers was saved.

“I didn’t get thirsty or hungry. When they offered me water, I took it but my body just didn’t feel like eating or drinking. I don’t why.”

He was ferried to hospital to receive treatment for a cut to his head and a fractured rib.

He still cannot believe how he escaped with so few injuries and was discharged from hospital after just two days.

“It’s amazing. I don’t know how that happened… I am relieved, I don’t know how it’s possible [to get away with] minimal injuries but I did.”

He is still obviously traumatised and desperately worried about all those he worked with who remain trapped after more than a week. There are 20 people unaccounted for.

Questions now turn to the cause of the accident, and the authorities say an investigation is under way.

Mr Safers says he does not remember any indication that something might be wrong, but thinks that if it turns out that shortcuts were taken in the construction, then people “should be held responsible for the lives lost and the people who may never work or walk again”.