Building of death: PP mulls probe
Mahlangu, Ramokgopa ‘ignored’ complaints
STAFF complaints about the derelict state of a government building weeks before a blaze engulfed it, killing three firefighters, were dismissed as “delinquent”.
A Gauteng Department of Health employee has asked Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane to investigate a number of issues believed to have been ignored regarding the tragedy.
In a complaint lodged last week, the employee, who asked to remain anonymous, wants Mkhwebane to investigate which senior officials had continuously ignored complaints from staff regarding the Bank of Lisbon building in the Joburg CBD.
The employee claimed a number of senior officials, including former health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, current MEC Gwen Ramokgopa and head of department Mkhululi Lukhele, had ignored complaints regarding the hazardous building.
The building housed three provincial departments – Human Settlements, Health and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
MEC for Infrastructure Development Jacob Mamabolo said at the time that an internal report released a week before the September 5 fire had revealed that the building was only 21% compliant with safety regulations.
A building has to meet 85% of the occupational, safety and health standards before it can be deemed safe for occupation.
“Colleagues would repeatedly fall sick with respiratory ailments. This would be reported but dismissed as ‘staff being delinquent’. Five shop stewards were subsequently suspended by Qedani Mahlangu in 2015 (to) 2017, for continuously complaining about the unsafe building,” the complaint reads in part.
The National Health Education and Allied Workers Union said the building on Pixley ka Isaka Seme Street had been a “ticking time bomb”.
“We see this as a case of complete negligence and disregard for people’s lives. Our members cautioned about the unsafe building but… were dismissed but after we appealed, they were reinstated. Even after they returned to work, they would raise issues about the unsafe working conditions,” said Nehawu Gauteng deputy secretary Gracia Rikhotso.
The employee claims that after the fire, about 80 workers were accommodated at a building in Randburg where the department paid R23 000 for one employee per month.
Mkhwebane’s spokesperson, Oupa Segalwe, confirmed that they had received the complaint.
“As is standard procedure, the matter has been subjected to an assessment process, which seeks to establish jurisdiction and merit. That process is pending. The Public Protector will be in a position to decide on the way forward after this process,” Segalwe said.
The employee said there was no message sent out regarding a fire but there were “reports of a possible fire” at about 10am. “A (sic) mayhem ensued and almost all the employees were in panic mode. There were screams and general state of confusion… Staff members were screaming for their lives,” she said, adding that firefighters arrived at the scene an hour later.
Some employees from the three departments had to stay at home due to working space being unavailable for several weeks.
The employee said that while some staff members were now reporting for duty at 45 Commissioner Street, which was still under construction, there was no announcement made officially.
“There are no working tools, there are no phone lines and there is no internet connection… There is a rumour that the cause of the fire is arson. (The) 23rd floor staff members started the fire to conceal their shady dealings,” reads the complaint.
The Democratic Nurses Organisation of SA’s provincial leader, Simphiwe Gada, said the fire started on the legal department on the 23rd floor.