Two people contracted by the Matjhabeng Local Municipality to unblock a manhole line in Thabong have died after drowning in raw sewage.
Tiisetso Mahlatsi, provincial secretary of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu), says the union would like to extend its heartfelt condolences to the families of the two employees of a private contractor, who died while working on a sewer system in Thabong on Monday, 18 March.
“It is alleged that the deceased were operating without proper personal protective equipment (PPEs) and other equipment.
“It is important to note that in the recent years, several municipal workers have paid with their lives because they were forced to unblock sewer main holes without proper protective clothing,” he says.
He emphasises that these men could have been municipal employees.
“This is why Samwu took a decision that no municipal workers should perform their duties without proper protective clothing.
“It is a mountain to climb for municipal workers to receive compensation. The family of an employee who died while unblocking a manhole in Virginia several years ago is still waiting for compensation.
“I hope the denialists and reactionaries will now understand our plight,” he says.
