The Department of Labour strongly condemns the continued spate of workplace fatalities, this, after the building hosting the Gauteng Department of Health, Gauteng Department of Human Settlement and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ (CoGTA) offices in Johannesburg caught fire yesterday. This is just a few days from the incident that happened at the Denel plant in Cape Town. The investigations on these two incidents are continuing.
The Department sends heartfelt condolences to the aggrieved families.
“There is no worker who should die on duty especially due to non-compliance with labour laws. It is annoying that this is happening”, Aggy Moiloa the Inspector General said.
According to the Department of Labour’s records, the affected building was inspected in 2017 following a complaint lodged by the union. During the inspection it was discovered that there was noncompliance to occupational health and safety and subsequently a prohibition notice was issued on 20 November 2017 halting the occupation of the building (from ground to tenth floor) until such time renovations were completed and the building safe to occupy.
The prohibition notice was observed and the construction work was carried out in the absence of Gauteng Department of Human Settlement employees. On completion of the renovations, the Gauteng Department of Human Settlement requested the occupation certificate from the Department of Labour.
The offices were inspected again and on 4 December 2017, the Department of Labour satisfied that the Department of Human Settlement had complied with the prohibition notice, the inspector revoked the notice and allowed occupation from ground to tenth floor which belongs to the Human Settlement of which Gauteng Department of Health did not form part.
According to the Inspector General, significant gains have been made in improving occupational health and safety over a number of years and preventable accidents cannot be allowed to erode the hard-earned gains.
The Department of Labour will leave no stone unturned and all those who are found to have flouted the law will be dealt with accordingly.
For more information contact:
Mishack Magakwe
082-908 1828
Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
082 697 0694
