The old and dilapidated Vosloorus Social Development office building poses a danger to the public and the officials as some parts of the roof have collapsed.
During a visit to these offices which are situated in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, the severely dilapidated state of these offices was immediately apparent.
There is a dire shortage of resources, a clear lack of maintenance and the infrastructure is crumbling.
The ceiling has collapsed in places, the roof is leaking, and the walls have cracked.
There are times when there is no water and electricity. The electrical plugs are broken and lights are not working. These offices have only been assigned three vehicles that are being shared by 20 officials.
There is also overcrowding in these offices; Up to three social workers are sharing one office and one telephone. There is no privacy and confidentiality. The server room is used as an office by two of the social workers.
There is no provision for proper consultation rooms for the clients and social workers.
Faulty equipment in these offices has raised fears among employees of accidents and injuries and at least one case of serious injury is on record.The DA believes that an occupational safety inspection is now an urgent requirement.
The MEC for Social Development, Nandi Manyuthela-Khoza, must account for the way in which the challenges at Vosloorus Social Development offices have been allowed to develop. We will also be tabling questions to the MEC in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature to ascertain the following:
– Why has there been no maintenance at Vosloorus Social Development offices?
– When last did the department conduct an inspection in these offices?
– What steps will the department take to address these challenges?
The state of these offices cannot be tolerated as social workers offer a vital and critical service to their communities, nor can we expect the local community to be comfortable in using this facility.