Defence union threatens action over 'unacceptable' conditions at air force HQ

The SA National Defence Union (Sandu) has urged the top management of the defence force (SANDF) to fix the dilapidated infrastructure at air force headquarters in Pretoria, or face legal action. 

In a statement on Wednesday, secretary Pikkie Greeff said the working conditions at the building were “unacceptable”.

“It is with utmost concern that Sandu has been informed of the dilapidated conditions plaguing the SA Air Force HQ building,” he said.

According to the union, for the past two weeks hundreds of air force personnel have suffered because the building's air-conditioning system had broken down, resulting in personnel having to work in offices at temperatures of 34°C.

Other problems include:

• no permanent supply of running water to the building, resulting in alternative sources of water having to be pumped into the building’s plumbing system;
• the escalator system has been broken for almost three years; and
• the elevators have been broken for an extended period.

The union says several hundred staff members are subjected to unbearable working conditions in the multistorey building, with the only management solution being to send most staff home by lunch time daily, with only the bare minimum staff remaining in the unbearable conditions.

The union said its members had been informed by their seniors that there was a lack of funding for repairs to be made.

“The SAAF  is supposed to be a professional institution which should function in a professional manner and environment. It cannot be expected from professional members of the SANDF to work under these unbearable conditions,” Sandu said.

The union claims it is engaging with top management of the SANDF to restore the facilities to normality.

“Should the union’s efforts not yield the desired results, Sandu will not hesitate to take legal action on an urgent basis. Sandu sincerely hopes that the latter course of action will not be necessary and calls on management and the minister of defence to urgently attend to this matter,” said Greeff.

Air Force spokesperson Brig-Gen Mongezi Kweta referred TimesLIVE to the SANDF headquarters for comment, but confirmed that workers were allowed to leave early on Tuesday because of a problem with water supply to the building.

Additional comment from SANDF will be added to this story once received.

TimesLIVE