Mall hearing postponed

The labour department has postponed the first Tongaat Mall hearing to Tuesday, February 11 at the Tongaat municipal offices.
The commission chair Phumudzo Maphaha said they were expecting to interview between 20 and 50 witnesses from February 11 to 14 and not from January 31 as previously announced.
The commission was not ready as they were busy consolidating the outstanding reports submitted by various stakeholders who will be interviewed during the hearing
The Tongaat Mall commission, which is chaired by Phumudzo Maphaha is a four person team which was formed by the labour department to investigate the mall’s collapse in November last year. The disaster killed two construction workers and left others injured.
“This will be a section 32 hearing, an initiative instituted by our department against parties whose negligence results in occupational injuries and death of workers,” said Maphaha.
On completion of its work the commission is expected to prepare a report and formulate recommendations which will be presented to labour minister Mildred Oliphant, the labour chief inspector Thobile Lamati and the directorate of public prosecutions for their consideration.
The hearings will be held between 9am and 5pm. Affected stakeholders are encouraged to contact Nhlanhla Khumalo on nhlanhlax.khumalo@labour.gov.za, 031- 366 2018 or 074 589 9682 for accreditation.