Authorities in Mahikeng, North West, are investigating circumstances that led to a section of the roof of the Department of Health Head Office collapsing.
According to the department, the damaged area accommodates the Financial Management, Salaries and Accounting Directorates.
As a precautionary measure following the incident, the department said it has taken urgent steps to safeguard employees and secure the building.
“The Department of Labour has been officially notified and will conduct an on-site inspection on Monday to assess compliance with Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards and determine the structural integrity of the building. Access to the building will remain restricted in the interim as a precautionary measure until safety has been verified and guaranteed,” read a statement from the department.
Meanwhile, the department said a previous engineer report by the Infrastructure Development and Technical Services (IDTS) unit, in collaboration with the OHS Committee, declared the building safe for occupation.
“However, a subsequent assessment conducted last Thursday identified the ceiling as a potential risk and recommended that employees in the affected area be moved while a service provider was being sourced to address the matter urgently,” added the statement.
MEC Sello Lehari said the safety of the employees will be prioritised and assured that the incident will be speedily resolved.
“The safety and wellbeing of our employees remain our top priority. We are treating this incident with the urgency it deserves and will ensure that no staff member is placed at risk. We are working closely with relevant authorities to resolve this matter speedily and safely.”
Lehari’s comments were echoed by the Superintendent General, Obakeng Mongale, who committed the department’s transparency and swift action regarding the incident.
“We have activated all necessary internal and external processes to assess the full extent of the damage and to implement corrective measures. We assure staff that interim working arrangements are being made to minimise disruption to critical services while ensuring everyone’s safety,” pledged Mongale.
