Employment and Labour inspectorate issue Prohibition notice to Matla Primary School due to major Health and Safety non-compliance
The Department of Employment and Labour has issued a prohibition notice resulting in the immediate closure of Matla Primary School in Bloemfontein, Free State. The prohibition follows a reactive inspection conducted in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), which uncovered serious and unacceptable non-compliance with health and safety regulations.
On 19 February 2026, inspectors served both contravention and prohibition notices to the Free State Department of Education after identifying hazardous conditions that posed an immediate threat to the lives and well-being of learners and educators.
The inspection revealed unhygienic sanitation facilities, including toilets with urine on the floors; exposed electrical wiring, with reports of children being electrocuted; a kitchen and mobile classroom operating without temperature regulation and recording extreme temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius; water leakages pooling around electrical fixtures, increasing the risk of electrocution; the absence of pest control services; obstructions creating significant fire hazards; and insufficient toilets facilities, denying both learners and teachers proper access.
Due to the severity of these violations, the Department of Education was given three (3) days from 20 to 23 February 2026, to remedy the non-compliance and submit a detailed action plan outlining its commitment to achieving full compliance. However, since 23 February 2026, the Department has failed to honour its undertakings.
Provincial Chief Inspector, Mr Manelisi Luxande, said: “The continued disregard of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations by the Department of Education is a cause for serious concern. This blatant neglect of safety standards inevitably exposes learners and educators to harm and potential fatalities. We cannot gamble with the lives of children and staff by allowing the school to operate under such glaring occupational safety violations.”
The school will remain prohibited for use until the Department of Education fully implements all corrective measures and satisfies the Occupational Health and Safety requirements as determined by inspectors.
The Department of Employment and Labour in the Free State reiterates its unwavering commitment to enforcing compliance and ensuring that all workplaces, including government departments, provide safe and healthy environments for occupants.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 082 697 0694
E-mail: teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za
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