The South African Police Service (SAPS) headquarters, also known as Telkom Towers, has been closed after being deemed unfit for human occupation. The closure comes as a result of non-compliance with occupational health and safety standards, as identified by the Labour Department.
The building serves as the base for personnel attached to support divisions and components responsible for providing administrative support to operational divisions. However, Trade Union Solidarity has raised concerns about the working conditions within the premises.
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Employees have reported issues such as a shortage of clean drinking water, poor ventilation systems, dirty toilets, dysfunctional lifts, and inadequate firefighting equipment.
Solidarity’s deputy general secretary, Helgard Cronjé, expressed shock at the police force’s failure to comply with basic security legislation. Employees have complained of respiratory illnesses, allergic reactions, and other health issues, presumably due to the dirty office space and poor ventilation. Additionally, workers have raised concerns about dirty carpets and problems with lice and cockroaches.
Despite the closure, the SAPS spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, assured the public that core policing functions have not been affected. Alternative premises are being arranged to ensure the continuation of these essential services.
The SAPS is actively engaged with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, which is responsible for the repair and maintenance of state facilities.
This closure follows a similar incident at the South African Air Force’s headquarters in Pretoria, where non-compliance certificates were issued regarding Occupational Health and Safety standards. The building, housing 1,200 employees, experienced a ventilation system failure, leading to its closure.
The closure of these important government facilities highlights the need for strict adherence to occupational health and safety standards to ensure the well-being of employees and the efficient functioning of essential services.
Keywords: South African Police Service, headquarters, closure, occupational health and safety, non-compliance, Telkom Towers, Trade Union Solidarity, working conditions, ventilation system, alternative premises, Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, South African Air Force, Pretoria.
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