Shutdown not challenged

Correctional services minister Michael Masutha wants his staff back at HQ as soon as possible, but will not go to the courts to challenge the shutdown of the building by Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga on safety grounds.

In the wake of a deadly fire in the Johannesburg city centre‚ at a building which was not up to code‚ concerns have been raised about safety in older buildings occupied by government departments.

Three firefighters died while trying to extinguish the blaze.

“We cannot continue to put the lives of more than 1‚000 employees at risk‚ who are expected to report to work every day in a building that is not complying to safety regulations and is non-conducive‚” Msimanga said after an inspection visit on Wednesday to the Poyntons Building in the Pretoria CBD‚ after which he announced its evacuation.

On Friday‚ he said that the city manager’s office would institute a comprehensive investigation and report on the occupational health and safety standards and fire compliance for City of Tshwane buildings.

This will include buildings owned or occupied by the city.

“At the centre of these audits is our goal to preserve innocent lives‚” Msimanga‚ of the DA, said

Masutha said that after Msimanga’s intervention at the correctional services offices‚ the city’s emergency services department had contacted the owners of the building to engage on safety measures.

Masutha said he “is satisfied that the ongoing engagements will soon result in the Poyntons building being fully compliant with regulatory safety requirements”.

“In view of this development‚ the minister does not believe that it is necessary at this stage to approach the courts to challenge the shutdown.”

Masutha said he appreciated the new spirit of co-operation. –