Health24 reports that the Department of Health (DOH) is to move its headquarters from the “sick” Civitas Building in Pretoria and relocate elsewhere after almost a year of protest action from unions.
This was announced on Tuesday by the department following a meeting between the Ministers of Health and Public Works and the leadership of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union’ (Nehawu) and the Public Servants Association (PSA). The DOH indicated that, as part of this decision, all parties had agreed to concentrate on the relocation and “bring an end to the stand-off, mistrust, suspicions and a psychologically poisoned working environment, whereby working relationships are highly strained”. A task team has been set up to find a new headquarters, develop a timetable for the move as well as “recommend a transitional mechanism”. The most significant problems at Civitas relate to malfunctioning air-conditioning, leaks and broken lifts. Since last April, Nehawu and PSA members stationed at Civitas have engaging in protest action against government’s failure to address their poor working conditions. The protest action has had a massive impact on the functioning of the health sector. On 29 October, the Department of Labour closed Civitas, declaring it unsafe. The building was re-opened a few days later after the health department appealed, undertaking to do the necessary repairs.
- Read the full original report on this story at Health24
- Read too, Department of Health vows never to return to Citivitas building, at The Citizen
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