Gauteng health fires four workers ‘after speaking out on unsafe building’

The Gauteng department of health fired four union representatives, allegedly after they raised concerns about alleged unsafe conditions in a building, and spoke up against the incompetence of management at the department.

The four were addressing issues at the “unsafe” building which was given to the department to temporarily house employees who were previously accommodated at the Bank of Lisbon building, which went up in flames.

Employees complained that they survived when the Bank of Lisbon building was on fire yet they were moved to another unsafe building, which again put their lives in danger.

They were fired on allegations of holding the HOD against his will in the lift, prejudicing the administration or efficiency of the department, conducting themselves in an improper, disgraceful and unacceptable manner while on duty, and intimidating and victimizing fellow employees.

Department spokesperson Kwara Kekana confirmed that all four employees were dismissed with immediate effect “based on serious acts of misconduct of criminal nature, intimidation of employees and holding the HOD against his will,” Kekana said.

Kekana said the employees still have the right to appeal.

Charles Phasha, a branch secretary who is among the dismissed, said no action was taken to prove that the allegations against them were true.

“SAPS was called but upon arrival in the department, they realized there was no one held hostage. No criminal case was opened against any of the dismissed shop stewards, no disciplinary process was held against anyone of us,” Phasha said

He said they were fired for asking the department’s management to take accountability.

“The main reason we were dismissed was on allegations that we held the HOD hostage, which is incorrect. We were asking him as the accounting officer to give us an update on the issue regarding contract workers.

“The department had previously made the commitment of absorbing all contract workers before the end of November but they needed to consult with the national office. There was anxiety among the contract workers when they realized that November was coming to an end they wanted an update regarding the matter,” Phasha said.

When asked about previous suspensions, Phasha said they were suspended for raising concerns about the non-compliance of the Bank of Lisbon building at 45 Commissioner Street in Johannesburg’s CBD, and management didn’t want to listen to their warnings.

“It is true we were suspended before, for raising the inhumane conditions workers were subjected to at the burnt Bank of Lisbon, and I can confidently say that we felt vindicated when the building was eventually gutted by fire. Unfortunately, lives were lost which could have been easily prevented had they listened to our warnings,” Phasha said.

Phasha said the families of the diseased are still struggling to find closure, more than a year later.

“The Bank of Lisbon building will be demolished on the 24th of November, but the families of the deceased and employees are still struggling to find closure,” he said.

The four dismissed workers were among a group of employees that spoke out about the unsafeness of the Bank of Lisbon building.

Speaking to The Sowetan, National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) general secretary Mzikayise Tshontshi said the union demands that their members be re-instated.

“The grounds on which they were dismissed indicate that the employer did not follow the correct procedures, because there was no disciplinary hearing and the union was not consulted before they were dismissed,” said Tshontshi.

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