NEHAWU Gauteng Calls For Speedy Investigation Into Tembisa Tertiary Academic Hospital Fire
Wednesday April 23, 2025
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union [NEHAWU] in Gauteng calls for speedy investigation into Tembisa Tertiary Academic Hospital Fire.
Reports from the Gauteng Department of Health suggests that the fire started at the hospital’s main Out Patient Department this morning. This is a second incident within a short space of time following the fire that broke out over the weekend at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit.
The fact that the hospital has experienced these incidents of fire within a short space of time proves that occupational safety measures are not adequately adhered to at the hospital. Investigations must reveal if the hospital has occupational safety measures in place and other measures to deal with such an ordeals. The union has been at the forefront of highlighting issues of non-compliance to Occupational Health and Safety measures in many of our workplaces.
The union in its fact-finding report in 2020 highlighted the lack of compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act in healthcare institutions, that there was generally non-compliance with the OHS Act.
We will continue to sharply raise the issue of health and safety of our members and workers in all workplaces. There must be full compliance of the OHS Act in the workplaces including ensuring that risk assessments and prevention measures are put in place and the establishment of OHS committees. The Occupational Health and Safety Act must be implemented in full to protect workers. In this regard, we will seek an audience with the Tembisa Tertiary Academic Hospital Management and the Department of Health to demand immediate answers.
Workers go to work to sell their labour power not to put their lives at risk. We call on the employer to ensure their safety but adherence to the Occupational Health and Safety.
END
Issued by NEHAWU Gauteng Secretariat
Mzikayise Tshontshi (Gauteng Provincial Secretary) at 0636851938 or email: mzikayise@nehawu.org.za or
Thulisile Msimang (Gauteng Provincial Deputy Secretary) at 0721748062 or email: tmsimang@dtps.gov.za Visit https://www.nehawu.org.za
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