The Citizen reports that Department of Correctional Services (DCS) staff and members of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) have vowed to sit outside Poyntons Building in Pretoria as they refuse to believe it is safe to work there.  

A small group of Popcru members and some DCS staffers on Monday indicated that they would remain sitting outside the department’s head office until the matter was heard by the Labour Court on Thursday.  City of Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga shut down the property due to a “serious breach” in fire and emergency evacuation regulations earlier last month.  A week later, the department declared the building safe and ordered all staff to return to work.  But workers are refusing to enter the building.  Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said:  “There has not been any proof or certificates from experts to declare the building is safe.  When we spoke to [the chief fire officer], he denied that [he declared the building safe] and has not issued a certificate.”

• A short report by Rorisang Kgosana is at The Citizen
• Read too, Popcru pickets‚ citing safety issues at Correctional Services head office, at Timeslive

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page