Synagogue building collapse: South African minister says death toll now 115

South African minister, Jeff Radebe today Sept. 22nd, said that the death toll from the Synagogue building collapse has risen to 115. Radebe said this at an airforce base, North of Johannesburg in South Africa where 25 South Africans who were injured in the collapsed building were brought home in a military C-130 aircraft (pictured above) for treatment. He however maintained that 84 South Africans died in the tragedy.

"We understand from our assessment team that the total number of people who have perished is now 115, but those are not all South Africans. South Africans are about 84 that have died" Jeff Radebe told reporters.

The Nigerian Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, put the death toll from the collapse at 86.

The South African minister also said that 26 injured South Africans were meant to return back home today but one of them decided to stay back at the Synagogue church. A 19-member medical team including specialist doctors, nurses and medical military paramedics took care of the injured on board the military C-130 aircraft. Among those transported today included two orphaned toddlers whose parents died in the tragedy.