“Please enter with a bucket of water” reads the signage posted on toilet doors at one of the department of education district offices in Limpopo.
For about two years more than 100 workers at the offices in Lebowakgomo have been forced to work under horrible conditions due to the persistent lack of water and electricity in their building.
Adjacent to the dysfunctional toilets stand several dustbins filled with water for employees to use as they enter. Some were already empty.
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According to several employees at the department's district offices in Lebowakgomo, Limpopo's legislature town 50km south of the capital Polokwane, the dire situation has been ongoing for years and their employer has not been able to do anything to solve it. This despite being found to have contravened some occupational safety regulations by the department of labour in 2020.
The building houses five circuit offices – Sepitsi, Nokotlou, Mogodumo, Lebowakgomo and Mphahlele – whose officials are now relieving themselves in the bushes.
One of the employees, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, told Sowetan that with the recent rainfall they managed to fill the dustbins with water to flush their toilets.
“What is happening is frustrating and unfair to us. I leave my comfortable home to rely on rainwater flush the toilet at work... and when there is no water I resort to bushes.
“These toilets have not been working for the past two years and we bring drinking water from our homes,” she said.
When Sowetan visited the offices the taps were dry with some toilet seats closed with bricks as a sign they were either out of order or just overloaded.
Another official said due to lack of electricity, he has been charging his phone and laptops from home.
“I have to charge my gadgets from home because I know I will not have electricity at work. So, if it happens that my phone and laptop battery become flat, I just pack my bag and go home.
“Worse, I'm even using my personal phone to communicate with my employer because work phones have been offline,” said the official.
Provincial department spokesperson Tidimalo Chuene said they were aware of the problem and is caused by Eskom.
“The problem is caused by interruption in electricity supply attributed to operational challenges faced by Eskom in the area. The complex of offices uses a borehole powered by electricity for water supply. Any electrical supply will therefore affect water supply as well,” she said.
Chuene added that the situation will return to normal once Eskom is able to restore electricity supply.
“The matter has been reported to Eskom. We are currently following up with them on this,” she said.
The Public Services Association's (PSA) provincial manager John Teffo, who visited the offices on Tuesday, condemned the working environment.
“We reported this matter to the department of employment and labour in 2020 and nothing has changed. Our members are working in very horrible conditions due to the employer’s failure to provide conducive working environment,” he said.
Teffo further said that the employees were further exposed to danger of snakes due to the bushy yard and danger of ageing building.
“Sadly, the PSA reported the matter to the department of employment of labour wherein the first inspection was conducted during September 2020 hence contravention notice, prohibition notice on certain buildings and confirmatory notice was issued although nothing has happened thus far. Further, the inspector visited the office and issued confirmatory notice to the HOD on November 19 2020, confirming that the contravention notice lapsed hence the matter will be referred to the magistrate's court for prosecution,” he said.
Department of employment and labour spokesperson Lerato Mashamba didn't respond at the time of going to print.
The matter was also referred to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on July 2020 however, provincial manager Victor Mavhidula said he needed a reference number to be able trace the case.
“The PSA calls upon the Limpopo provincial MEC for education to close the building with immediate effect and allow the employees to report to safe workplace since the employer continued to contravene Sections of the law that prescribe that the employer must provide workplace which is safe and without risk to employees,” said Teffo.
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