Two workers die in North West Municipality due to poor working conditions

The South African Municipal workers Union (SAMWU) in the North West Province is worried and at the same time angered, by the way in which a father and son lost their dear lives on Friday 4 October 2013, whilst doing municipal work for the Naledi Local Municipality.

SAMWU member comrade Joseph Mohumapele and his son Monnapule Mohumapele died on Friday, after falling into a manhole which was shoddily closed by slabs (2 broken pieces of asbestos).

The two employees, who happened to be father and son, were sent to unblock a manhole in Vryburg. They were not provided with the necessary safety clothing and the necessary tools of the trade to do the work; this sadly cost them their valuable lives. No step ladder was provided for the workers to enter the manhole, instead a piece of string was used!

It seems as though Naledi Local Municipality does not care much about the working conditions of its workers or their health and safety, but rather it seems to be concerned more about planning, and awarding people tenders.

To make matters worse, three contract workers, doing work for the same Municipality fell into an open drain and were seriously injured; one of them was admitted to the hospital intensive care unit.

We therefore call on the National Minister of Labour, Mildred Olifant, to do the following;

Remove all your Inspectors from their offices. Send them to do spot-checks at Municipalities, because workers are losing lives as a result of poor working conditions.

We are also appealing to the Minister of Corporate Governance and traditional Affairs, comrade Lechesa Tsenoli, to set aside time from his busy schedule and visit Municipalities in the North West Province, as issues in these Municipalities range from inadequate health and safety practices to corruption and nepotism.

The Union will continue to advise its members to refuse working in dangerous conditions, without been given safety clothing and the proper tools of the trade.

The Union will, based on the report that has been compiled by the Department of Labour in Vryburg, advice the family of Mohumapele what line of action to take with regards to this painful matter.

Statement issued by SAMWU's North West Provincial Secretary Lekoba Jacob Modimoeng, October 8 2013

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter