Roof leakage led to closure of a building in Letaba Tvet college – Ga Kgapane

The Department of Employment and Labour Inspectorate has prohibited the use of a building at Letaba Tvet College in Kgapane, Limpopo, on Tuesday 17 May 2022 due to its non-compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The building which is being used by the Department of Education in Mopani East and Mopani West circuits, was found to be in an unsafe condition and poses immediate danger to the lives of staff and students as there is leakage in the building.

The reactive inspection comes after workers laid a complaint with OHS Inspectors at Giyani LC about the dilapidated building and found that it contravenes the OHS Act 85 of 1993 as amended which specifies that if the state of the building threatens or is likely to threaten the safety of persons, the building should be prohibited with immediate effect from being occupied or continued used in terms of section 30 of the above said Act.

The building was prohibited based on the following findings:

The roof of the structure and some walls were badly eaten by termites and is at risk of collapsing at any given time.

A contravention notice for a lack of a risk assessment plan, a Certificate of Compliance for electrical installation, fire extinguishers that are not serviced and defective lights was issued.

Acting Provincial Chief Inspector, Reckson Tshitshiveli, said, “employers have a duty to provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risks to the health of employees”.

He said the department does not only enforce compliance but also promote compliance with the OHS Act through proactive and reactive advocacy sessions and encouraged employers to call the department when they require assistance to get their houses in order.

The prohibited sections of the building will remain closed until the department corrects what has been identified as danger by the inspectors. The inspectors continue to protect the lives of the individuals and ensure that any noncompliance to the law is not tolerated. Source: Government of South Africa