Decaying Boksburg state-owned buildings continue to put workers at risk

Concerned Boksburg SAPS officers, who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation, have reiterated their call on the State to take their complaints seriously and fix the crumbling buildings, which have for years been rendering the police workplace an unsafe environment.

Staff within the two separate police blocks that house the detectives’ branch, management, designated firearms officers, victim support centre and other police services, said the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has allowed their offices to deteriorate into unsafe work environments.

They feel that their complaints are not being taken seriously.

Some of the issues at the police building include plaster and paint coming off the walls, crumbling roofing, broken toilets, plumbing fixtures, office fittings and windows, power issues, a lack of fire safety measures and inadequate personal hygiene facilities.
Even the cleaners are struggling to keep up with the plaster and paint flaking off the walls, which also reek of mould and damp.

They also pointed out the buildings are not properly maintained, while the detectives’ branch is also poorly protected against intruders, including vagrants and cable thieves, who are systematically stripping the facility.
“When we complain to management about the unsafe working conditions, we are told that it’s the responsibility of public works to maintain and ensure government buildings comply with health and safety standards,” said one of the officers.

The Boksburg Advertiser initially highlighted the problems associated with the poor conditions of the police buildings, particularly the detective branch, in 2018, reporting that officers were forced to work in decaying infrastructure, infested with rats and partly taken over by vagrants and vegetation.
The DPWI has not yet responded to our request for comment on the issue.
However, in 2018, the DPWI clarified the worst affected section of the state-owned building in South Street used to be living quarters for police, but the SAPS had eventually handed the property back to DPWI.

Apparently officials from both departments conducted a joint site inspection at the time. They found the property already vandalised and illegally occupied.

The department said it was considering letting out the section of the police building, but almost five years later, the eyesore is still standing empty.
Concerning the crumbling detectives building, the DPWI told the Advertiser in 2021 a request to appoint a structural engineer to investigate and report on the remedial work required for complete repairs and renovations was underway.

The department further explained they would address the problem after the planning and maintenance budget committee authorised the appointment of a structural engineer.
However, the facility remains a health risk to staff members.

We have also approached the City of Ekurhuleni to check whether the two separate police buildings comply with health and safety standards, as stipulated in the city’s by-laws.

Concerning the derelict former police living quarters, the City confirmed in 2018 the owner violated the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act.
The City said it would take action for the owner to repair or demolish the building after they inspected it in 2018.

Boksburg Magistrate’s Court a crumbling mess

Information, including photos, obtained by the Advertiser suggests that employees at the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court in the Boksburg CBD are also in the same boat as the Boksburg police.

Staff are forced to work in a building that has been left to deteriorate over the years, and which by now is an accident waiting to happen.
There are fears that the sad state of the structure is likely to impact on the safety of employees, prisoners and members of the public who go to the court to obtain services.

A total lack of maintenance has exacerbated the problem and has reportedly led to parts of the structure of the building being reduced to a state of decay.

Issues highlighted include poor lighting, rising damp, plaster coming off walls and ceilings, unhealthy condition of the only staff kitchen, black mould and other hazards in public areas and several health and safety issues in the basement and holding cells.
The court is also reportedly not equipped with back-up energy to operate during the rotational power outages.

In 2019, DPWI told this publication that an urgent inspection of the court would be conducted and that a complete renovation had been initiated and the appointment of a contractor would take place in February/March 2020.
We are awaiting comment from the DPWI about what remedial work has been undertaken at the court.