A Mitchell’s Plain civic group has raised concern after three men died in an accident at a manhole in Rocklands last week.
Mitchell’s Plain United Residents’ Association chairman Norman Jantjes, said they share their condolences with the families of Yanga Nayo, 30, from Kuils River, Thembisile Mapoyi, 34, from Philippi, and Johan Lubanka, 39, from Macassar.
Mr Jantjes said that he trusts that the company which they worked for would provide the necessary support to the families of the victims whilst also providing counselling for the affected workers.
“We furthermore trust that a thorough investigation will be conducted by the relevant authorities to determine the exact cause of the accident and whether the necessary protocols was observed,” he said.
Mr Jantjes said that the main aim was to prevent any further accidents and unnecessary loss of life.
“We also need to ensure that workers receive the necessary training which will reduce the risk of accidents,” he said.
Mr Nayo’s body was due to leave for the Eastern Cape yesterday, Tuesday October 18.
The body of Mr Mapoyi was removed from the manhole at 12.15pm last Tuesday, October 11, and the body of Mr Lubanka was removed after 6am on Wednesday October 12.
Mr Nayo, who was the foreman, had been rushed to hospital on Tuesday October 11 after raising the alarm that his colleagues were stuck in the manhole. He died in Tygerberg Hospital on Thursday October 13.
His sister Zizitho Nayo told the Plainsman yesterday that he could not speak to them last Wednesday, during their hospital visit.
“He was admitted to the ICU (intensive care unit),” she said.
“He just waved to us. He was crying but the tubes prevented him from speaking,” she said.
She said the family was still reeling from the death of their father who died of lung cancer in East London three months ago.
Ms Nayo said her brother worked for CSV Construction, who had met with the family, and had said that they had never had such a fatal accident before.
Community liaison officer Eddie Marshall, from Portland, told the Plainsman that all of workers have not yet returned to work.
“We have received some counselling and that the managers were about to leave to visit Yanga in hospital last week, when we were told that he had died,” he said.
Mr Marshall said that CSV Construction has been contracted by the City of Cape Town to install sewer lines, which link up to the Mitchell’s Plain pump station on Spine Road.
He and the deceased had been on site for the last two years and this was their first incident he said.
They will be holding a memorial service at Mitchell’s Plain indoor sports centre, in Portland, today, Wednesday October 19, at 3.30pm.