South Africa building collapse kills 7

Johannesburg (AFP) - Seven South African workers died Monday when a building under construction collapsed, with more people feared trapped under the rubble, emergency services said.

The labourers were working on a two-storey residential building on a private estate in Meyersdal, south of Johannesburg, when it collapsed.

Rescuers had initially counted eight dead in the rubble because of confusion over a dismembered body.

"The number of confirmed fatalities is now seven," William Ntladi, the spokesman for the Ekurhuleni Emergency Services, told AFP.

Ten other workers were taken to hospital, two with serious injuries.

Ntladi said the cause of the accident was not yet known.

Rescue workers suspended the operation for the night and will resume digging on Tuesday, he said, adding that it was unclear how many people had been working on the site.

Government labour inspectors have been sent to investigate the accident.

"The department has dispatched a team of inspectors to investigate after which they will issue a preliminary report on the cause of the accident," a statement said.