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The DA notes with concern the passing away of two workers at the Petro SA plant in Mossell Bay and sends its condolences to the families and close friends of the deceased.
In my Capacity as Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Local Government in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, I have written to the Minister of Local Government, Anton Bredell to investigate the details of what transpired at PetroSA and whether PetroSA complies with all safety standards, and Disaster Management Act as required by law. Furthermore, I will also invite Petro SA to brief the committee on their safety plans and how they will ensure that no more lives are lost.
Two employees, Sheradon Baker and Luvuyo Mkutukana, died after the two men were overcome by toxic gases when working on a vessel at the Mossel Bay plant, as reported by the Mossel Bay Advertiser. This is a major concern as we have no idea to what extent the gas has leaked and how it will affect other employees and surrounding residential areas. Lives have been lost and we do not wish to see any more people needlessly affected. One life lost, is one life too many.Late Last year it was revealed that the state oil company recorded a loss of R14.5 billion due to a number of disastrous projects and failure to meet key targets. This is another example of an SOE being in trouble as we have seen with others. We cannot afford a culture in state-owned entities where poor decisions and lack of accountability by top executives place the lives of workers at risk
We wish to convey our condolences to the families and friends of the two gentlemen that have tragically lost their lives. We will continue to monitor the situation and ensure that accidents of this nature are avoided in the future.
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