Nehawu: Our members won't work in dangerous buildings
The National Health Education and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) says its members will not go back to the Bank of Lisbon building in Johannesburg.
The union claims that workers' safety is compromised if they are compelled to work in unsafe buildings.
This comes after a fire broke out on the 23rd floor on Wednesday resulting in the deaths of three firefighters.
The building which houses three Gauteng government departments is said to be only 21% complaint with health and safety regulations.
ALSO READ: Motsoaledi rubbishes Civitas death trap claims
The Gauteng department of infrastructure development also admitted eight other buildings in the city center do not comply with safety regulations.
"We are having a meeting with the government to discuss the issue of when our workers are expected to go back to work and which buildings they would be going back to. We are going to refuse to get our members being instructed to go back to those offices at the Bank of Lisbon," said Nehawu's Tshepo Mokheranyana
Mokheranyana said they are willing to approach the courts to fight this.
Gauteng health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa on Friday confirmed a recovery plan was in place to find alternative buildings so workers can go back to work.
Emergency services spokesperson Nana Radebe has confirmed the fire was completely extinguished on Friday night.
"The smoldering was fully out by 10 pm, but we just stayed overnight just to monitor the situation however we can confirm the fire has been fully extinguished," said Radebe.