The labour department in Limpopo issued prohibition notices to the labour centres in Thohoyandou and Makhado in Louis Trichardt on Friday and Monday respectively.
This means the offices will remain closed until the landlord rectifies the issues identified. Subsequent to that, occupational health and safety (OHS) inspectors will do a follow-up inspection which will determine whether the prohibition notice can be lifted.
The Limpopo department of employment and labour said it had prohibited the use of the building on 10 Molotto Street in Bela-Bela accommodating the department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs, the Bela-Bela local municipality, and the department of home affairs in the Waterberg district.
The prohibition notice for the Bela-Bela building comes after the OHS inspector discovered during an inspection that the building posed an immediate danger of collapse due to major wall cracks across the building.
The Public Servants’ Association (PSA) said it supported the prohibition notices, as they were crucial in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of employees and the public who used the facilities.
The building accommodating the Thohoyandou labour centre was issued with a prohibition notice last week due to the fire alarm which indicated a supply fault and the distribution board which has exposed wires and without a certificate of compliance for the electrical installations.
The labour office in Louis Trichardt was found wanting by the OHS inspector after it was discovered during routine inspection that the building lacked active mechanical or natural ventilation, posing immediate danger to the health and safety of people.
Phaswane Tladi, the chief director of provincial operations in Limpopo, said it was unfortunate that the buildings housing government offices had to be closed during a time when clients required services.
“The department is working around the clock to ensure that areas of noncompliance as indicated by OHS inspectors are attended to with speed. The health and safety of both employees and clients is our priority,” Tladi said.
Tladi also commended the work of the inspectorate for working without fear or favour in ensuring that every workplace, including the labour centres, were treated equally irrespective of their designation.
He said the department must set a good example so that others could see that the inspectorate was serious about compliance.
“Inspectors are responsible for preventing any fatalities that may result in such circumstances, and we trust in their expertise to ensure that we provide conducive working environments for our staff and clients,” Tladi said.
The PSA, the union which represents workers in the public service, condemned the department of employment and labour for the lapses in safety.
“As the custodian of employee safety, the department has a fundamental responsibility to ensure that all labour centres adhere to the highest standards,” the union said.
TimesLIVE
Ernest Mabuza
www.timeslive.co.za
