NEHAWU IN LIMPOPO STATEMENT ON THE FIRE AT THE F.H. ODENDAAL HOSPITAL

[Khaya Xaba (Khaya@nehawu.org.za)]

NEHAWU         National Education Health & Allied Workers Union   LIMPOPO PROVINCIAL OFFICE           E-Mail: RachelK@nehawu.org.za or Ja...@nehawu.org.za

9 Corner Jorrissen &Bok Street    Polokwane    P.O. Box 55300    Polokwane, 0700      Tel: (015) 291-4161           (015) 291-4983           (015) 291-4680           (015) 291-4213    Fax:(015) 291-4213

 

 

MEDIA STATEMENT - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

NEHAWU IN LIMPOPO STATEMENT ON THE FIRE AT THE F.H. ODENDAAL HOSPITAL

Thursday May, 6 2021

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) in Limpopo sends condolences to the families of the two patients who lost their lives after a fire broke out in the COVID-19 ward at the F.H Odendaal hospital on Tuesday night.

This is the second hospital to be gutted by fire in the recent past and both incidents buttresses our long held view that hospitals do not comply with the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act. As NEHAWU in the province, we are disappointed that the fire at the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital did not prompt other hospitals to improve health and safety measures.

We applaud our members and workers who acted swiftly and managed to evacuate all patients. They bravely took fire extinguishers in the ward and managed to stop the fire from affecting the entire building. Unfortunately, they lost two patients in the process but we remain grateful to their act of bravery.

We welcome the team of experts that has been dispatched to investigate the circumstances surrounding the cause of the fire. We call for investigations to begin as soon as possible in order to avert similar incidents from reoccurring. As soon as the investigations are concluded they must be made public and those found to be on the wrong must face punitive measures. 

 

The health and safety of our members and workers remains our key priority and we call on all employers to comply with the OHS Act. The Act seeks to ensure the following:

 

·      to provide for the health and safety of persons at work and for the health and safety of persons in connection with the use of plant and machinery

·      the protection of persons at work against hazards to health and safety arising out of or in connection with the activities of persons at work

 

Furthermore, we also welcome the full support of the MEC of Health Dr. Phophi Ramathuba and the Minister of Health Dr. Zwelini Mkhize who have assured that counselling services will be availed to both family members and workers who have suffered through this tragedy.

 

Lastly, we call on the Department of Health in the Province to establish health and safety committees in all workplaces as dictated by the law and we also call on the Department of Employment and Labour to send inspectors to inspect the compliance of employers.

 

Issued by NEHAWU Limpopo Secretariat Office

 

For more information, please contact: Moses Maubane (NEHAWU Limpopo Provincial Secretary) 063 685 1884 or email: Mo...@nehawu.org.za or Jacob Adams (NEHAWU Limpopo Provincial Deputy Secretary) at 082 558 5966 or email to Ja...@nehawu.org.za Visit NEHAWU website: www.nehawu.org.za

 

 

 

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