One person was killed when a building collapse in the Inanda area, north of Durban, on Monday, KwaZulu-Natal paramedic services say.

IPSS spokesperson Paul Herbst said three other people had been critically injured at the construction site when a retaining wall collapsed.

"A structural collapse has taken place. The building has been under construction at the moment and one of the retaining walls has collapsed. Currently we have one deceased and three patients that have sustained critical injuries."

A police search and rescue unit and the fire department were also on scene, he said.