‘Fumigation’ forces closure

OFFICE fumigation that went awry forced the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) to close its Amathole District office block near the East London beachfront and evacuate staff.

All staff were then given medical checkups, said departmental spokesman Mvusi Sicwetsha.

Dispatch was tipped off about the disaster, with a source saying a contractor had sprayed the chemical last Monday.

“It smelt so bad employees had to be given face masks.”

Sicwetsha said they were busy with an investigation into the company that used the the chemical methamidophos.

“Two employees showed signs of exposure to the chemical and that is why the SG said all the staff should go for a medical check-up,” he said.

On Thursday, DRDAR superintendant general Lumkile Ngada said the offices temporarily closed to protect staff from inhaling dangerous fumes and to allow experts to clear the office block of the fumes from the fumigation which was carried out during a weekend in June.

“Because of the presence of the fumigation fumes in our office, a decision was taken to temporarily place some of our employees at our offices in Bhisho until further notice.

“When this was reported to us all employees working at this office block were told to go home and some will be working from our head office in Bhisho while the service provider is clearing the fumes from the building.”

He said, “Our decision to close the office for now was to act fast in prioritising the wellbeing our staff.”

The office will remain closed until the matter is resolved. “At the present moment we encourage all those who would like to contact our department to use emails and mobile numbers of the employees,” he said.

Customers can contact the department’s care division on 0800203-025.