MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Calls for safety audit of all lifts in the Eastern Cape maintained by departments of public works

By

Dear MyPE

The national Minister of Public Works, Thembelani Nxesi, must tell us whether the Mount Road Police Station lift that plummeted yesterday has been properly maintained and whether or not there is a proper maintenance plan that has been implemented for the assets of public works in the province.

This incident has sent shock waves throughout the province. People are questioning whether or not it is safe to get into lifts in public buildings that are owned by the Department of Public Works.

I have written to the Minister of Public Works to request that a safety audit is carried out on all buildings owned by the department. (Please click here to view the letter)

In addition, I am requesting that the Department makes the safety and service records available for the lifts at the Mount Road Police Station specifically.

We cannot afford to drop maintenance standards when it comes to the safety of the public.

Regards

Vicky Knoetze


On Wednesday 23 March a lift at the Mount Road police station in Port Elizabeth plummeted four storeys with seven occupants inside at around 16:00, Eastern Cape police said.

“Six female and one male employee were injured. Four sustained fractured legs while the others were treated for various other injuries,” Brigadier Marinda Mills said.

Emergency services stabilised the injured on the scene and took them to St Georges Hospital.

The public works department was informed.

The following two tabs change content below.

Port Elizabethan

This author is a 'catch-all' for occasional articles and letters written to MyPE. The Author of each article can be found in the signature at the bottom of each individual article.