The Department of Labour inspector ordered the temporary closure of Lethabong old age and disabled children care centre housed in an old clinic building in Winterveld, north of Pretoria today, 2 November 2009. Upon receiving the complaint from our sister department (Health) about the unsuitable condition of the care centre, the Department of Labour assigned the team of inspectors to do the thorough inspection on Friday. The inspectors indeed established that the building is not in a proper condition for senior citizens to live there. The department found that the gas cylinder was standing loose instead of being fixed to the wall; the building has no electricity; they are using candles and paraffin; they don’t have fire fighting equipment; it is overcrowded; they have recycled a rusted, unsafe chemical container to store water.
“The care centre is not allowed to operate until they have fixed the problems. The department can revoke the notice once the management of the facility have fixed the problems. Seventeen (17) senior citizens were transported by ambulances to different old age homes in Pretoria and others' children volunteered to take them back home. We will continue to enforce the legislation because compliance with the law is not negotiable,” said Department of Labour Gauteng North Provincial Communications Manager, Mishack Magakwe.
Issued by: Department of Labour
2 November 2009
