STAFF PROTESTS ABOUT BANK OF LISBON BUILDING IGNORED

Evidence is building up that the Gauteng Provincial Government willfully ignored multiple warnings and protests that the Bank of Lisbon building was unsafe.

This includes a major demonstration by Gauteng Health Department staff outside the building in November 2015.

I warned at the time that “the staff have valid grievances that should have been addressed long ago.”

Unions also complained at various times but were brushed aside and even victimized for raising safety issues.

It has emerged that 10 of the building’s 24 floors were non-compliant and should have been evacuated.

The lack of water was a major factor that hindered fire-fighters and led to the tragic deaths of three firemen.

A judicial commission of inquiry is needed to give a truly independent assessment of all the warnings that were ignored, very much like the Esidimeni disaster in which 144 mental health patients lost their lives.

It is already clear, however, that Infrastructure Development MEC Jacob Mamabolo and Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa were inexcusably delinquent in this matter, and should resign or be fired by Premier David Makhura.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, 14 September 2018