Popcru members won’t go back into building

Workers worried about safety at central Pretoria office block

A group of correctional services workers have refused to go back into the Poyntons Building in Pretoria because they are yet to see an expert report declaring the building safe.

Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga shut the building, which houses the department of correctional services head office, last month because the 32-storey skyscraper did not meet minimum fire safety requirements.

The department of correctional services issued a statement almost a week later saying the fire chief had declared the building safe and that 1 400 workers could return to the building.

But a group of Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) members are not convinced that the building is safe.

Yesterday, about 16 workers in uniform sat idling on camping chairs and others leaned against the wall outside while Popcru members picketed at the building’s entrance in their solidarity.

“The building is not safe and I am not going to risk my life,” a worker who did not want to be named said.

“We want to see the inspection report from an expert. Now we are told to go back into that building but there is no proof that the building is safe.”

Popcru chairperson at the correctional services headquarters, Ntsako Khosa, accused management of falsely declaring the building safe and bullying workers back into the building.

“Our members are threatened with dismissal and that they will not be paid salaries if they do not return to the building while the management has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the building is safe,” he said.

Khosa said the building was closed because the fire escapes were obstructed and the building had low water pressure, saying workers would be trapped inside in the event of a fire.

“There is no certificate that says these issues are resolved,” he said.

Correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said they could not understand why Popcru was making a noise about the building when it was declared safe by the fire chief.

He said all communication between the department and the City of Tshwane metro fire department was shared with Popcru.

“We are puzzled by this action. We do not know what Popcru wants now because they have all the information on how the building was declared safe,” Nxumalo said.

‘‘ Management has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the building is safe