STAFF at Pretoria Central Police Station in Tshwane recently complained that they were tormented by the stench of urine.
The Department of Public Works has now said it will not be fixing the problem as the station has a budget for maintenance and it was the management’s responsibility.
Department spokesman Thami Mchunu said: “Like all government entities, they have been allocated a budget of R100 000 to enable them to conduct minor maintenance work.
“To blame the department for this is both misleading and unfounded. It creates an unnecessary negative narrative about the department,” Mchunu said.
He said the department was only responsible for major maintenance.
Employees recently told the SunTeam the smell from leaking toilets was giving them headaches and breathing problems. They said the toilets were not working properly and were leaking.
“It’s the smell of moroto everywhere. We don’t enjoy working in our offices because the smell is unbearable,” an employee said.
Another worker said: they had to regularly visit doctors because the smell was causing them health problems. “We have been asking to have the situation resolved but it seems no one is taking us seriously.”
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said employees of South African Police Service have complaints about the organisation, they should follow internal processes to lodge a complaint.
