Trade union, Solidarity, says it has for some time filed complaints about the poor condition of the South African Police Service (SAPS) National Head Office building at Telkom Towers in Pretoria.
The National Police Commissioner has now ordered the immediate evacuation of all personnel from the controversial building citing safety concerns.
The building was bought by SAPS eight years ago and renovated for nearly R900 million.
The union says the challenges in the building include a shortage of drinking water, poor air conditioning and ventilation, as well as broken dirty toilets and lifts.
Solidarity’s Renate Pieterse says the building does not have the necessary Certificates of Occupancy.
“There are a lot of faults that were highlighted by the inspectors from the Department of Labour. The building cannot be occupied unless those problems have been sorted out. So at this stage, the building has been closed with immediate effect.”
