The Labour Department spokesperson, Teboho Thejane, tells OFM News the department gave out a prohibition order to shut down the Business Partners Building of the said the department on Wednesday 29 January 2020. On the afternoon of Monday 27 January, an electrical cable caught fire inside the building and smoke filled the building. As a result, the Labour Department shut down the building for failing to clear the smoke by Tuesday morning. Thejane says the Arts and Culture Department has about 90 days to make sure that the building is safe for occupation.

On Tuesday, the Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA), Jantjie Jack, confirmed to OFM News that the shutdown of the said building followed after an electrical cable caught fire on Monday afternoon, 27 January, and the majority of the building was filled with smoke.  He said after the incident on Monday, the place was still filled with smoke the next morning during the visit by PSA officials. “No electrical engineering was brought in to assess the situation and further examine if the building was safe for occupation,” he added. Jack added that the PSA official communicated with the department to ascertain whether the building was safe for their members to occupy, but nothing came forth until today.

OFM News