POLOKWANE – The department of health denies that working conditions at the emergency medical services (EMS) call centre in Antimoon Street, Ladanna are questionable.
Last week Review reported that the employees at the call centre complained that there was no toilet paper and that they had to bring their own from home, that there had been no water on the second floor of the call centre for the past three months, and that the lift did not work, making the building inaccessible to people with disabilities.
The employees said there was a physically impaired person working for the centre, who also had to take the stairs.
The employees alleged that EMS personnel were evicted from their previous offices at the Rentmeester Building, and that they could not occupy their newly built offices in Dorp Street, as the contractor had stopped work due to non-payment.
Due to the inauguration of the MEC’s last week, the department was only able to provide comment this week.
Health spokesperson, Adéle van der Linde, said various departments within the EMS were currently using the Rentmeester Building and Antimoon Street call centre, adding that the ambulance station, district office and control room were in Antimoon Street.
She said it was utter rubbish that personnel had been evicted from the Rentmeester Building.
“Personnel working at Rentmeester are still in their offices and doing their duties.
The offices in Dorp Street have not yet been completed or handed over to the department.
“They cannot therefore even be called EMS offices,” she said.
Van der Linde said sometimes there was a delay in procurement of items like toilet paper.
“In such instances there may be a shortage. Toilet paper has been procured and delivery is awaited. In the meantime, staff can collect toilet paper at the departmental head office,” Van der Linde said.
Regarding the water problem, she explained that it was a geyser and not a water pipe that had burst in January, leading to the flooding of the bathroom. “The problem was rectified immediately, but since a bypass of pipes had to be done in the meanwhile, there is currently no water in the kitchen in the control room.
“The bathrooms are functioning perfectly. The department of public works is attending to the problem, which seems to be complex,” she said.
Van der Linde confirmed that the lift was not working.
“The lift is indeed not working and is another headache for public works.
“There is currently no disabled person working in the control room and therefore every single person working in the control room can take a few flights of stairs,” she said.
Van der Linde said the department would have to investigate the allegation of equipment gathering dust in the storeroom.
“I have sent people to investigate which equipment is gathering dust in the storeroom and why there is dust in the storeroom, because the storeroom is being managed and cleaners are on site daily,” Van der Linde explained.
