EThekwini Electricity HQ in Durban is unsafe and a fire hazard, say staff

Workers raise concerns about the condition of the eThekwini electricity municipal headquarters in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. They detail toilets that are out of order, floors that leak and flood during heavy rains amongst other concerns. (Photo: Supplied)

By Naledi Sikhakhane

24 Jan 2025

Workers say there is no serviced sprinkler system, water pressure valves system, fire hydrants or hoses. The roof of the building continuously leaks when it rains, causing floors to be flooded, and damaging documents, computers and other electronic equipment and office furniture.

Staff at the eThekwini Municipality Electricity Unit’s headquarters in Durban have blown the whistle on alleged unsafe working conditions due to a poorly maintained building.

The group of employees reached out anonymously to the Department of Employment and Labour’s director general of Inspection and Enforcement Services, along with the heads of the eThekwini Occupational Health, eThekwini Fire and KwaZulu-Natal Health departments.

Their concerns include the ongoing non-functioning of the building’s lifts and air conditioning, and some toilets and basin taps are out of order and unusable. The workers said there was no serviced sprinkler system, water pressure valves system, fire hydrants or hoses.

The roof of the building continuously leaks when it rains, causing floors to be flooded, and damaging documents, computers and other electronic equipment and office furniture.

Victimisation

The workers withheld their identities for fear of victimisation.

“Among other things, these issues are causing serious health and safety problems for the staff who work at the building, therefore we kindly request your immediate attention to this matter.”

The staff say they have repeatedly raised these concerns internally, but to no avail.

EThekwini Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana said that “the wellbeing and safety of council employees is of paramount importance to the City. Management is aware of the maintenance-related matters in the Electricity Unit, and there is a plan in place to address them.

The state of the roof at the eThekwini electricity municipal headquarters in Durban. (Photo: Supplied)

Exposed pipes at the eThekwini electricity municipal headquarters in Durban. (Photo: Supplied)

An out of order lift at the electricity unit. (Photo: Supplied)

Workers have complained about the state of the toilets at the electricity unit. (Photo: Supplied)

“The municipality will not discuss internal matters involving repairs, maintenance, and replacement of assets with a third party. However, we continue to encourage staff to raise work-related queries that they may have via the appropriate internal channels.

“Each unit maintains a risk register and business continuity plan where all issues related to asset management, safety, business continuity etc, are logged for intervention. Furthermore, each unit has to provide a budget for repairs and maintenance and the Architecture Department undertakes repairs and maintenance for all council buildings,” Sisilana said.

Read more: eThekwini’s electricity unit ‘needs drastic action to be financially sustainable’

The electricity unit also faced a crisis when electricity contractors who work for the eThekwini Municipality downed tools due to non-payment in December 2024. They complained they had not been paid for almost a year. The contractors staged a march to the Durban City Hall and were finally paid at the end of December.

EThekwini Electricity was mired in scandals throughout the previous year, with one of the most notable being a News24 report that a pilot project by the Electricity Department to test the efficacy of hundreds of thousands of new smart electricity meters, for which the council paid R500-million, found that the devices do not work. DM

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Victimisation