Allegations on uncleanliness of health department offices

The Gauteng Department of Health has denied allegations of the lack of cleanliness at its central Johannesburg offices.

This accusation comes from the Democratic Alliance’s Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health, Jack Bloom, who alleged that since the department’s outsourced cleaning contract expired on 1 January this year, some staff members had been forced to do their own cleaning and provide cleaning equipment, creating an unsanitary working environment for them.

“Gauteng Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, admitted, in a written reply to my questions, that some of her staff have had to clean their own offices since the beginning of this year because a cleaning contract expired,” he said.

“Furthermore, procurement policies had to be followed in order to appoint a service provider to render the service.”

Bloom criticised the department for the continued delay and appalling conditions employees had been forced to endure, and alleged that staff had complained that they had to maintain their own offices.

Responding to these allegations, Steve Mabona, spokesperson for the department, denied that staff members were required to bring their own cleaning equipment. “No staff member at the department’s Penmore building [has been] required to bring their own cleaning equipment,” he said.

Mabona, however, remained mum on allegations that employees were required to do their own cleaning but added that a new service provider, Ditaba Di Matlong Trading and Projects, had been appointed last month.

Furthermore, Mabona stated that staff members would be relocated to the 11 Diagonal Street building and Old Reserve buildings by the end of the month until the new cleaning contract commenced to ensure healthy working conditions.

“The department is continuously striving to ensure healthy working conditions for its employees, hence the relocation process,” he concluded.