Staff refuse to enter ‘unsafe’ office

Rorisang Kgosana

Correctional services staff and members of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) have vowed to sit outside Poyntons Building as they refused to believe it is safe to work there.

A small group of Popcru members and some correctional staff members yesterday stated they would remain sitting outside the department’s head office until the matter was heard by the Labour Court on Thursday.

City of Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga shut down the property due to a “serious breach” in fire and emergency evacuation regulations earlier this month.

A week later, the department declared the building safe and ordered all staff to return to work.

But workers are refusing to enter the building until they have written proof that the property is safe.

Alternatively, they said, they demanded to be moved to another building.

Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said: “There has not been any proof or certificates from experts to declare the building is safe. When we spoke to [the chief fire officer], he denied that [he declared the building safe] and has not issued a certificate.”