Human Rights Commission manager in Limpopo Victor Mavhidula has confirmed that the commission is investigating allegations of racism where white and black workers use separate toilets at an old-age home facility in Louis Trichardt.
According to some workers, the practice has been going on for a number of years. This came to light after some workers laid a complaint with the commission.
Mavhidula has promised that they will get to the bottom of the matter.
“We are not leaving any stone unturned in this particular matter, we have engaged with the employer to find out what exactly happened but because our mandate allows us to investigate without mentioning anyone’s name we are going to be successful in investigating this matter and revealing what happened. So we are very concerned about what is happening there and we believe that at the end of this particular investigation we will be able to take appropriate action,” says Mavhidula.
Limpopo’s Social Development Department has also dispatched a team of social workers to investigate the allegations.
The department spends over R1-million every year to fund the centre.
Department Spokesperson Witness Tiva says they view the allegations in a serious light.
“We describe as disturbing the allegations of racism and the none supply of PPE to the employees to the facility which accommodate older persons in the Mikado municipal area. The department has immediately dispersed a team of social workers to the facility for them to interact with all affected parties at this facility which we also fund. We view the allegations in a very serious light as there is generally a zero-tolerance for such conduct, if the allegations are found to be true such will be the reversal of our hard-gained democracy especially that March is commemorated as Human Rights Month,” says Tiva.
