President Jacob Zuma has extended condolences to the families of the six construction workers, who were killed when a structure collapsed in the tunnels of Ingula power station in KwaZulu-Natal.
“We mourn with the families of all the workers who have lost their lives in this tragedy, while constructing a better life not just for themselves and their families, but also for the entire country.
“We share their loss and their pain. It is painful to all of us. On behalf of government and the whole country, we wish to convey our deepest condolences to the families and fellow workers. May their souls rest in peace,” said President Zuma.
He wished the nine injured workers a speedy recovery.
The Department of Mineral Resources has also extended its condolences to the families of the deceased.
Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba also expressed his sincere and profound condolences to the families of the workers who died.
Gigaba called on Eskom to leave no stone unturned to get to the cause of the incident and to ensure that any such possible accidents in future are averted.
The department’s KZN principal inspector, along with other departmental inspectors, visited the site of the incident on Thursday. The department has initiated a comprehensive investigation to determine the cause of the accident, in line with provisions in the Mine Health and Safety Act.
Eskom also said it would launch a detailed investigation into the incident.
Ingula power station, the Eskom construction site near Ladysmith, is one of government’s flagship infrastructure projects. It is a 1 332MW Pumped Storage Scheme that contributes significantly to job creation and economic growth of the town of Ladysmith and South Africa’s infrastructure programme.
It is one of the three new power stations that are being constructed, which will bring a vast increase to the country’s energy supply. – SAnews.gov.za
The IFP also sent its deepest condolences to the families of the six contractors who died when the platform they were working on collapsed in a tunnel at the Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme, near Ladysmith.
IFP spokesperson on Public Enterprises, Dr Oriani-Ambrosini MP, said “This tragedy needs to be investigated thoroughly. Eskom must not leave any stone unturned in this investigation. But Eskom needs to clarify as to what safety measures were in place to safeguard workers”
Ambrosini further stated, “We call on the labour minister to ensure that inspectors conduct regular checks on sites. This is also a wakeup call to the private sector as many workers have lost their lives due to work safety policies in many companies not being implemented.”
The IFP calls on Eskom to make sure that all families of the decease are getting the necessary support, through financial compensation and the covering medical costs. It is high time for Eskom to make sure that all subcontracted companies have a comprehensive safety plan before they are given work to do.
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