PUBLIC SERVANTS ASSOCIATION THREATENS LEGAL ACTION AGAINST HEALTH MINISTER OVER OHSC RELOCATION
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) could face legal action over the entity’s imminent relocation from the Pretoria central business district (CBD) to Centurion.
On August 1, OHSC staff are scheduled to start relocating from their Prinshof, Tshwane, head office to Centurion, more than 20 kilometres away, but the Public Servants Association (PSA) has complained that the process has been done without consultation and adequate explanation.
PSA members have been protesting against the relocation since June 17 and on Friday delivered a memorandum of demands to Motsoaledi after accusing OHSC management of failing to be honest and transparent on the matter.
Among the demands is for the minister to exercise his executive authority to immediately halt the unlawful and procedurally flawed office relocation.
“The decision to relocate without prior consultation and absent mitigating support measures constitutes a prima facie violation of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, specifically concerning fair working conditions, the preservation of work-life balance and protection against undue financial and emotional hardship,” PSA general manager Reuben Maleka told Motsoaledi.
The PSA wants a comprehensive forensic investigation to be commissioned by the Auditor-General of South Africa or the National Treasury into the irregular, opaque, and potentially corrupt procurement process associated with the relocation.
“Evidence suggests a breach of the Public Finance Management Act and procurement protocols, warranting criminal and disciplinary proceedings where applicable,” the union alleged.
In addition, the PSA demanded that Motsoaledi publicly and formally reprimand the OHSC executive management for their continued disregard of statutory consultation obligations and repeated violations of good faith bargaining as required under the Labour Relations Act and the constitutional right to fair labour practices.
Maleka added: “Their conduct has directly undermined the integrity of collective labour relations.”
According to the union, the current office lease procurement should be immediately nullified and a new, transparent and compliant procurement process initiated, under independent oversight, with the explicit condition that office accommodation be identified within a five kilometre radius of the current Pretoria CBD premises, in line with accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and operational continuity.
Earlier this year, the PSA presented two relocation scenario planning demands to the OHSC, including employees being paid R3,500 monthly or allowed to work from home for two weeks a month.
However, the OHSC rejected the two scenarios due to budget constraints and because working from home was not compatible with the effectiveness of its service delivery requirements.
Instead, the entity offered to provide transportation from the CBD to ferry staff members from a defined location to Eco-Glades Office Park in Centurion free of charge for a fixed period of six months, after which every employee will be expected to make their way to the new offices.
The OHSC also promised to consider the process to deal with the plight of employees’ school-going children.
Employees complained that Eco-Glades Office Park was isolated and far from basic amenities and that they had children in schools in the CBD registered based on the proximity of their workplace.
Additionally, access to the new office was also constrained due to peak hour transport, and would create difficulties for them in cases of emergencies during normal working hours.
Some children commute with their parents, and there is no provision of relief assistance.
Maleka told Motsoaledi to address their concerns as a matter of urgency.
“The relocation decision, in its current form, is risky, undermines staff morale, reduces operational effectiveness, and places undue strain on already limited resources.
Failure to act in accordance with these demands will result in the institution of legal proceedings, and national exposure of the ministry's failure to uphold statutory obligations,” he warned.
Motsoaledi’s spokesperson, Sello Lediga, said the minister is overseas and travelling back home tomorrow (Sunday).
“Let's pick up on this subject on Monday,” he advised.
The OHSC’s spokesperson, Ricardo Mahlakanya, did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday.
2025-07-05T12:24:16Z