Cape Town – Stellenbosch University (SU) has launched an inquiry whether Covid-19 health protocols were flouted after an outsourced cleaner was apparently dismissed by his employer, after he allegedly refused to clean a hostel without proper personal protective equipment (PPE).
The People's Movement of SU, which consists of students, student unions and university staff, accused the cleaning company, Bidvest Prestige, of unfairly dismissing the cleaner and were calling for his reinstatement within seven days, said the movement's Zizo Vokwana.
According to the cleaner, who asked not to be named for fear of further alleged victimisation, he was sent to clean a passage near the room of a student who had been infected with Covid-19 at Huis Russel Botman House.
“On October 2, they called our supervisor and they told her that there is a student who is infected in our hostel, and they gave her PPE to give one of the workers to work in that room. We asked our supervisor if it is safe to work in a place like that.
“The supervisor said we should use the gloves and chemicals we have to protect ourselves. I said what I know is that if there is someone who is infected, the place is supposed to be closed and fumigated, ” he said.
Following questions to the supervisor, the workers say they were informed it would cost to fumigate the place and they should use what they had.
The cleaner said he posted his frustrations on Facebook.
“That is when they saw it and they informed someone from the union and I removed it. They said what I wrote on Facebook was not right, it was just my opinion.”
“The following week, I got a call to the office and I was told to give everything that belonged to the university and Bidvest back. They say I'm guilty because I show no remorse for what I did. Students heard about this and said I shouldn't be dismissed because corona kills,” he said.
In a disciplinary notice letter, the cleaner is alleged to have shared false information on Facebook, bringing the company and the client's name into disrepute, and incited fellow colleagues to stop work.
Bidvest Prestige did not respond to requests for comment yesterday.
SU spokesperson Martin Viljoen said the cleaner was an employee of one of the university's service providers. “The current agreement with the service provider commenced in July 2018.
“The allegations were brought to the university's attention via social media. The university did not play any role in the service provider's disciplinary process and its decision to dismiss any employee.
’’We will therefore inquire about whether there have been any issues related to Covid-19 health and safety protocols,” he said.
Founder and president of United Domestic Workers of South Africa Pinky Mashiane said it was a responsibility of the employer to ensure that the health and safety of workers was upheld.
Cape Times