We share Minister Shamenda’s concern where people are killed on construction sites, but the responsibility rests largely with GRZ.
There are rules and regulations governing safety and the way work should be done on construction sites, and it’s not only the contractor’s responsibility- but also the responsibility of supervisors appointed by GRZ and (in the case of a trench, reportedly more that four metres deep, there are regulations for strutting and shoring up the sides of the trench.
In the case of SWASCO and the Chinese contractor-where the SWASCO or GRZ engineers who were supervising the contractor’s work?
Building contractors must be independently supervised by professionally competent and experienced architects and engineers.
Municipal councils, who approve building designs and issue permits to build, should also be held responsible when safety of workers or methods of construction are wrongly applied.
All building works should be supervised and finally approved by a professionally competent and accountable person to ensure that there is someone responsible who can be taken to task when disasters occur.
In Zambia, we have allowed anyone to design and build- and often no one supervises.
People have forgotten why we need rules and regulations to control what people want to do – which is usually to avoid regulations and save on costs and convenience.
This is all part of corruption.
Neville Ravensdale
Ndola
