MEC Masuku unveils plaque in memory of Bank of Lisbon firefighters
JOHANNESBURG – Labour calls for safe working conditions for the public servants.
On 5 September, the Gauteng Department of Health held a remembrance ceremony outside the Bank of Lisbon in honour of the three firefighters who died in the line of duty.
On Thursday, it was exactly a year since the incident happened after a blaze engulfed the building that housed three government departments – health, human settlements, and cooperative governance.
Three firefighters, Simphiwe Moropane, Mduduzi Ndlovu and Khathutshelo Muedi died while trying to extinguish a fire which started on the 23rd floor of a Johannesburg building.
In honour of the three heroes, health MEC Bandile Masuku and their families gathered on the site to lay a wreath and also unveiled a plaque in their memory.
“These men went beyond their call of duty and we must ensure what happened must never happen again,” said Masuku.
He said when this incident happened last September, the government was still struggling with issues of infrastructure and this made them realise the urgency of ensuring that their buildings are in proper conditions and habitable.
Thabang Senyatsi, the chairperson of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA), reiterated the need for safe buildings and adequate working conditions for workers.
He said the death of these three firefighters should not go in vain and the government should strive to ensure excellent conditions of their buildings. “This is not an event to lament a lot but should be a stepping stone in starting to consider ensuring safe conditions for our workers.”
“We are eagerly awaiting a report on what caused the fire and we hope it will give us clarity.”
City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services’ spokesperson Nana Hadebe said their report was handed to the City manager and he is still studying it.
“We cannot release it yet until the City manager has finished studying it and afterward we will meet with the families of the firefighters and the affected firefighters to discuss it first. That is when the report will be made available.”
She, however, said their report is not a forensic report, which is the police and still pending.
At the time of the fire, the safety standard of the building was on 29 per cent which means it was inadequate for occupancy and government confirmed knowing about it.
Robert Moropane, representing the families, hailed praises to the fallen firefighters and said even though their work was difficult, they were always prepared to do it and further saluted them.
He said, “Even when I hear a serene of emergency cars I would always remember them because I know they would have been there trying to help and put their lives at risk.”
The building is expected to be turned into rubble later in the year according to the Department of Infrastructure Development in Gauteng.
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https://northeasterntribune.co.za/172135/the-gauteng-department-of-health-investigates-mysterious-death-of-patient/
