Staff suffer disgusting work conditions
Staff members are left with no choice but to relieve themselves in the nearby bush.
POLOKWANE – Employees at the Mogodumo Circuit office in Lebowakgomo are forced to work in appalling conditions.The offices are dilapidated, have no electricity and no running water.
Staff members are left with no choice but to relieve themselves in the nearby bush. According to DA Limpopo spokesperson for education, Jacques Smalle, employees at this office are subject to a work environment which is in a dire state.
He said the office is also forced to close early daily because of this undesirable situation.
“These are unacceptable working conditions and strip away the dignity of the professionals who we entrust to oversee the education system that our children are subjected to. This level of neglect of the circuit offices and working conditions of staff shows a total disregard for the employees’ wellness and dignity by the department. Education MEC, Polly Boshielo must urgently address the matter.
“If this is how the department treats its employees, it speaks volumes of its nature. It is concerning that we have to entrust this department with the well-being of hundreds of thousands of learners and school infrastructure in the province,” said Smalle.
The Public Servants Association (PSA) said it was shocked by the working conditions of the circuit office.”The department is not only failing to provide staff with working tools to ensure optimum work performance, but is also failing to provide a workplace which is safe and does not pose a risk to employees’ health. This is required by section 8 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA),” said the PSA’s Silo Sebothoma.
The PSA called upon Boshielo to immediately close the building and bring the management to account for the violation of human rights and blatant disregard of the OHSA.
Limpopo education spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene blamed the lack of water and electricity at the offices on a contractor which damaged electrical cables during excavation.
“We are currently engaging with the Department of Public Works to remedy the issue of water and electricity. We also provided temporary toilets at the circuit offices.”The employees divulged that the lack of water at the offices poses an extreme health risk as they need to wash their hands and clean and disinfect their offices regularly to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
