Asbestos health, safety risk at Promosa Secondary

Promosa community members along with councillor Glenville Fransman is gravely concerned for the health and safety of Promosa Secondary learners and teachers.

There are three asbestos buildings on the school grounds of Promosa Secondary. Fransman indicates that these are the old school buildings which are no longer in use, but still accessible to learners and teachers as it is not fenced off or closed up.

A concerned community member states that learners enter the buildings and play around inside which causes asbestos to rise up. “When they play around inside, the asbestos fibers get stirred up and they inhale the fibers. The asbestos becomes airborne and then everyone in the surrounding areas inhales the fibers. It becomes a health risk not just to the learners and teachers, but to the community as well.”

Community members are outraged and frightened that seemingly nothing is being done to remove the asbestos to create a safer environment for teachers and learners.

In a previous report done by Potchefstroom Herald, Fransman stated that the Department of Education has made no effort to maintain the school since it was established 40 years ago. It is to be noted that in 2013 the Department of Basic Education introduced regulations stating that all school infrastructure built from asbestos should be replaced with other building material by November 2016.

One of the asbestos buildings is a two-story building with an iron staircase that provides access to the second floor. Fransman indicates the iron staircase and explains that an oversight inspection was conducted by the DA in 2020. It was found that the staircase is damaged and might cause the concrete floor resting on it to collapse. Fransman then points to learners moving around under the staircase and on the second floor and exclaims, “Do you see the learners moving about inside and below the structure? It is so dangerous! The structure can collapse without warning.”

Community members confirms this, stating, “The buildings can collapse at any given moment.”

The Independent Development Trust (IDT) on behalf of the Department of Education set up an appointment for contractors to bid on the contract of demolishing, removing and disposing of the asbestos buildings. IDT is yet to confirm whether a contractor was appointed.

*The Department of Education did not respond with commentary in due time to establish whether and when the asbestos structures will be demolished and removed.