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The Age
6 days ago
- General
- The Age
Majority suffer due to idiocy of the few
Legal instruments In ' Watchdog pleaded for help to curb abuse risks ' (23/7), Noel Towell reports that oversight authorities are so understaffed and underfunded that they could only fully investigate a few of last year's 1500 reports of abuse in childcare centres. But all Australian jurisdictions have a reasonably staffed and funded workplace law enforcement body whose investigators must 'monitor and enforce compliance with″, for example, the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) or Victoria's OHS Act. All such Acts impose a duty on workplace operators to first, identify all risks to the health (including psychological health) and safety of both 'workers' and 'other persons' (including children) at their workplace, then eliminate – or at least minimise and control – those risks. It's a preventive duty. If WHS/OHS inspectors find a serious unaddressed workplace risk, they can issue, on the spot, a compliance-compelling 'improvement notice″. Although duty or notice non-compliance is a heavily penalised criminal offence, the crucial child safety point is that such notices can quickly prevent harm, or further harm, before it happens or continues. Max Costello, North Melbourne Turning the tide Re ' Council's final warning for Frankston mansion owner's sea wall ', 22/7. It was King Canute who was possibly the first significant leader who made a point of reminding his courtiers that no mere mortal has the power to hold back the tide. In more recent times, there's been plenty of coastal hydraulics experts who've explained the dangers and folly of building a hard wall to contain and tame the waves. Other marine engineers have counselled the importance of leaving the primary and secondary dune systems to nature, to accommodate the seasonal fluctuations in tidal and wind dynamics, as well as the dangers of building in sand, including sandstone, well known around the Australian coastline for its vulnerability to erosion Then there's the numerous consistent, combined research findings from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and more localised data analysis that confirms not only that the high tide is rising due to the cumulative consequences of climate change but, in many regions the tide is rising faster than the worst case scenario envisaged by the IPCC. And yet, one man in his mansion in Frankston, thinks he can hold back the tide? Tell him he's dreaming. Bernadette George, Mildura How to quit Fiona Patten's article was concise, well-written (″ Australia has become the global village idiot on quitting smoking ″, 24/7). I agree with all her points. As a former smoker, I changed to vaping 13 years ago and four years ago decided to stop that also. Vaping, in my opinion, is the only way to get off cigarettes completely and should be easily available. Ingrid Pezzoni, Toorak Learn to like politics Even as a schoolgirl, I was keenly interested in politics and could not understand why most of my fellow students didn't care at all. As an adult, I find nothing has changed. Most people I know vote because they have to, some even barely know who the current political chiefs are. Age has nothing to do with political responsibility, but maybe more effort could be made within the school curriculum to encourage political awareness and the importance of participation in political debate. Hopefully, that would also result in better candidates. Valerie Johnson, Eaglemont One vote each What a great idea. Give extra votes to those who ″contribute more to the successful running of our society″ (Letters, 24/7). Success, by implication, is the gaining of wealth. The wealthy already have superannuation tax concessions, family trust tax concessions, capital gains tax concessions, negative gearing and expensive tax minimisation accountants. Let's give them more votes so they can vote themselves even more tax avoidance schemes. Those who cannot afford tertiary education or a house, or who cannot hold a full-time job because they have disabilities or are single parents, would only have one vote, at least until the multiple-voting rich removed that privilege. Australia is supposed to be a democracy, not a plutocracy. That is why we have ″one vote one person″. Helen Moss, Croydon Push for ceasefire For the past 60 years or so, there has been little anti-Jewish activity in Australia but it has increased significantly lately. I have been surprised by some people asking why this sudden increase has occurred. There is much violence in the Middle East but the main thing that has changed is the starvation and killing of defenceless people in Gaza day after day. This is a very disheartening, distressing saga. Some Australian residents will protest peacefully, others may act violently towards entities associated with Israel. Some people think the best way to stop attacks is to censor Australians but this is not resolving the root cause. Further, citizens should not be prohibited from rational discussions on national and international issues. Our current laws can handle racial hate speech and violence. Meanwhile, the Australian government should apply pressure on Israel to agree to a permanent ceasefire. Graham Kelley, Mount Waverley Words not enough The government is being disingenuous in saying that all our exports to Israel are non-lethal. We supply parts that are vital to the IDF's military strikes. Even worse, last year the Israeli weapons and surveillance company, Elbit systems, was awarded a $917 million contract with Australia. Seventy-eight Labor branches are now calling for the government to impose sanctions on Israel, yet nothing happens (″ Immense frustration': Labor base demands sanctions against Israel ″, 24/7). Words are not enough, the Labor Party needs to hear the calls of its members and of Australians and impose sanctions on Israel without further delay. The cruelty being perpetrated in Gaza must end. Lorel Thomas, Blackburn South A tasty read While agreeing with your correspondent about the sad decline in readership among men (″ Young men have stopped reading books – and these are the reasons ″, 22/7), I flinched wearily at yet another drive by slap at fantasy and other genre fiction. An equally jaundiced reader of fantasy could view the genre of literary fiction as pretentious navel gazing. And as for the claim that a scarcity of literary fiction ″diminishes our ability to understand each other and address issues at the core of our society″, it neglects the possibility that the best of fantasy and genre fiction does it in a profound and sublime way that literary fiction simply cannot. Fantasy and other genres can take us out of the mundanity of the here and now into wider, more expansive considerations of the human condition. Such works as Piranesi' by Susanna Clarke or Kazuo Ishiguro's writing certainly help develop empathy and a desire to make sense of the world in a movingly insightful way, and are tasty as well as being full of nourishment. Michael Pryor, Alphington AND ANOTHER THING Scott Morrison Who asked Scott Morrison to speak to US Congress? He was an abject failure as a politician, displaying appalling judgment. Haven't they got that message? Or has he been asked because he'll say what they want to hear? David Ashton, Katoomba, NSW Now we know why the Trump regime seems so out of touch with public opinion in Australia. To get a view on what we think, they consulted Morrison, who has been in the wilderness for a full term of parliament. Tony Haydon, Springvale When is Morrison going realise that he is irrelevant? Corrado Tavella, Rosslyn Park, SA Trump world Another $800 million to the US for AUKUS? Talk about money for jam. Donald Trump must be laughing all the way to the bank. Jane Ross, San Remo I hope imported US beef is well labelled as such so I can tell if it's from you Donald! Steve Melzer, Hughesdale
The Citizen
23-06-2025
- General
- The Citizen
City technician recovering in hospital after electric shock
A Tshwane electrician who suffered an electric shock while conducting tests to locate a faulty cable in Equestria on June 17 is reported to be in a stable condition, according to the metro. Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said the injured technician is being monitored after he was airlifted to Milpark Hospital, Johannesburg on June 18. The incident occurred during restoration efforts following a widespread outage that affected several suburbs in the east on June 16. The outage was linked to a trip at the Wapadrand Substation. Technicians were deployed the next day and traced the issue to a cable fault. However, while the team was conducting tests to pinpoint the fault, one of the electricians suffered an electric shock and sustained burn injuries. The substation transformer also tripped again. Emergency services were called immediately, and the injured worker was stabilised on site before being transported to hospital for further care. MMC for Utility Services Frans Boshielo, accompanied by senior managers, visited the technician on June 18. Boshielo said the visit was to assess the situation and give support to the family. 'Our technician was unfortunately injured by electrical equipment whilst on duty,' he explained. Boshielo said they met with the family at the hospital, who said they appreciated the presence of the city's officials. 'While it's still early to give any comment about his condition, we were nonetheless assured of the best care possible that is being afforded to him,' he said. Boshielo expressed his appreciation to the staff at Milpark and the family. 'In the meantime, we must allow him time to recover and to keep our colleague and his family in all our prayers.' He added that as the Energy and Electricity Department, they were anguished by the incident and wished their colleague a speedy recovery. 'We wish to inform our staff who need counselling to inform their managers so that they can be assisted as soon as possible. Safety of our employees is of importance, and we will comply with the OHS Act, Act no 85 of 1993 requirements.' Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
Mail & Guardian
20-05-2025
- Health
- Mail & Guardian
Fatal oversight: Systemic negligence and leadership failure took a young doctor's life
Junior doctors across provinces report fear of victimisation which breeds a culture of silence. (File photo) The On anonymous online platforms, fellow healthcare workers have broken their silence, echoing stories of exploitation, burnout and fear. Dr Alulutho Mazwi was only 25 years old. His death must not be dismissed as a singular failure of compassion or miscommunication. It must be recognised as a systemic collapse where the absence of leadership competence, ethical decision-making and safety planning results in preventable deaths. This situation also reflects failure of psychological safety and workplace health standards. Managing staff requires leadership credentials, emotional intelligence and human resource training. Yet in healthcare, leadership is often conferred through clinical rank, not capability. Holding an MBChB or specialist degree does not make one a competent manager. Yet those titles are all too often treated as de facto licences to supervise and discipline junior staff without any oversight into how those responsibilities are carried out. Assigning power without competency and oversight is negligence. Section 24 of the Constitution states: 'Everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being.' When interns are left to continue working despite being ill, this potentially puts the doctor and patients at risk, which is in direct violation of Occupational Health and Safety Act; the OHS and Labour Relations Act requires employers to ensure a work environment free from physical or psychological harm. Leaving interns unsupported, overworked, working while ill and fearful of speaking up because of reprisals creates conditions that are not only unsafe, but legally and ethically indefensible. Dr Mazwi's death raises the question: who was the senior who allegedly forced him to work while ill? If they lacked the skill to assess risk or show professional empathy, who appointed them? What criteria were used? And where was the head of department, and the hospital chief executive? If they were aware, why did they not intervene? If they were unaware, why are they in those positions? The answer lies in a health system that rewards tenure and titles, not leadership competency, ultimately giving rise to institutional structures without substance. The health department maintains a vast array of administrative units including monitoring and evaluation offices, HR departments, wellness strategies and intern management protocols. On paper, this architecture suggests a system of support and oversight, but in practice, it is failing at every level. If internal systems functioned as intended, red flags about burnout, toxic culture and unsafe practices would have been identified and acted upon. Instead, junior doctors across provinces report fear of victimisation, grievance processes and a culture of silence. Interns often fear speaking out because of opaque grievance procedures and risk of retaliation. This silence violates the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act and Protection from Harassment Act, both of which aim to ensure just, transparent and safe public administration. In psychological terms, this is a work environment that scores abysmally on psychological safety where staff do not feel safe to speak up, raise concerns or protect their own health without fear of punishment. As a country we are fast falling into a pandemic of inquiries and investigations as tick box exercises with no significant outcome, no punitive measures and, most importantly, no systemic reformation. In provinces like Gauteng, a decision was made to cut overtime for doctors, citing budgetary constraints. This is being done with little to no consultation, despite already chronic understaffing in public hospitals. Cutting overtime without increasing posts or restructuring workloads is not reform, it is risk redistribution. The burden simply shifts onto fewer hands, most often junior doctors who are least empowered to speak out. These cost-saving measures not only undermine service delivery but also violate the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, which requires fair working hours, sufficient rest periods and safe working conditions. Cutting overtime without increasing staff restructuring duties violates these principles and places employees under duress, exposing them to harm. From a legal perspective, expecting staff to work excessive hours in unsafe environments constitutes constructive dismissal risk, and from a human perspective, it is institutionalised exploitation. Despite more than 1800 unemployed qualified doctors in early 2025, hospitals continue to operate dangerously understaffed. Junior doctors are reportedly left in charge of departments after hours, because registrars and consultants allegedly leave early. These unmonitored practices violate principles of workplace safety and professional supervision. If these claims are true, then the health department has lost control of its mandate to manage the very professionals whose salaries cost billions. The department must explain: Who manages staff work times and the distribution of workloads? Who do they report to? How effective is their management? Are they earning the public salaries they're paid? These are not rhetorical questions. They demand public answers. We are cutting the lifelines of our healthcare system while preserving the scaffolding of managerial incompetence. This will undermine the South African dream for universal health coverage and equitable access to opportunities for doctors and patients alike. It is incidents like Dr Mazwi's death that highlight the misalignment of the National Health Insurance (NHI), the How can we promise universal care when we cannot protect the staff who deliver it? How can we claim to support the poor while gutting the very services that serve them? The NHI cannot succeed in a system where junior staff are abused, senior leaders are untrained and financial decisions contradict ethical care. We must confront uncomfortable truths as we unpack the fatal reality of this junior doctor and among them are the hard-hitting questions that need to be answered if we are committed to seeking justice for his life and the well-being of all the many others who have been brutalised by this system. This death is not an exception. It is a consequence of structural negligence and a culture of impunity. Dr Mazwi died working for a system that did not work for him. His death is a national failure, and we cannot afford to look away. We are not just failing patients. We are failing the people who have sworn to care for them. Failure to act decisively, in light of the evidence and outcry, would mean accepting more deaths like this one as the cost of doing business. We owe this young doctor and every healthcare worker battling this system more than memorials. We owe them justice, reform and protection. Urgent call to action Dr Mazwi's death and the collective grief shared since must lead to transformative action. We demand immediate intervention from health authorities, regulators, and political leaders. Specifically: An independent, expedited investigation at Prince Msheiyeni Memorial Hospital with consequences for all found responsible; A public outline of HR and leadership reform measures by the department of health, acknowledging the widespread suffering of interns and Junior doctors; A policy reform mandating that no one may be appointed to leadership or supervisory roles without formal training in human resource management, people leadership, and psychological safety; The department of health and Health Professions Council of South Africa must create a safe, accessible and responsive reporting mechanism for doctors in distress, separate from existing slow-moving internal systems; Budget alignment must prioritise safe staffing ratios and staff well-being; and Audit the readiness of the NHI system, especially in terms of staff safety, leadership capacity, and system accountability- before further rollout occurs. Naheedah Collins is an industrial psychologist and Haseena Majid is a Global Atlantic fellow for health equity and social justice at the Atlantic Institute, Oxford, UK.
CBC
04-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
2 Alberta companies ordered to pay $550K over OHS violations related to welders' deaths
Two Alberta companies have admitted to violating provincial occupational health and safety rules over a workplace explosion that killed two men at an oil and gas site north of Edmonton in 2022. The companies have been ordered to pay more than half a million dollars in fines and penalties, with most of the money going toward safety awareness and education initiatives. Welders Greg Podulsky, 29, and Darcy Schwindt, 47, were working on top of a tank on Nov. 12., 2022, when an explosion occurred within a tank storage facility, fatally injuring them. Tamarack Valley Energy Ltd. and Peace Pipefitting Inc. each pleaded guilty to one count of violating Alberta's OHS Act on Wednesday in the Slave Lake Court of Justice. Justice Robert Marceau accepted a joint submission from the companies, which included fines and creative sentences. Tamarack must pay $500,000, with most of the money going toward workplace safety initiatives and programming run by CAREERS: The Next Generation Foundation, a non-profit that works with Alberta youth, Energy Safety Canada, a safety organization, and Threads of Life, a charity that supports people affected by workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths. Brian Schmidt, Tamarack Energy's CEO, said his company has supported the workers' families by funding scholarships and marked the deaths within the company with a moment of silence at work last year. Schmidt said dealing with these tragedies has been the most difficult experience yet for his Calgary company. "We're a small company and there are not a ton of employees, so when something like this happens, it's quite traumatic," he said Friday in an interview. He also said it's important for the industry to do what it can to support the welders' families and share learnings with other companies. "We changed their lives permanently," he said. Peace Pipefitting must pay a $50,000 penalty, $30,000 of which will go toward programming at Threads of Life. The company, which did not respond to a request for comment, has also been placed on enhanced regulatory supervision for two years. Charlene Nahamko, Podulsky's mother, said she wore a sweatshirt bearing a photograph of her son to court this week. "I wanted them to know he wasn't just a contractor," she said. She said it was shocking to learn more about the circumstances of her son's death but becoming involved with Threads of Life has helped her carry her sadness and anger in a different way. "It's time for us to put that behind us and move forward with Greg's legacy and push with the safety and the education," she said. Schwindt's family members said in a written statement shared with CBC News that they are relieved to finally have closure on the investigation and are happy to see fines go toward educating students and preventing similar tragedies. "We are looking forward to moving forward and hope that Darcy will be remembered not for the accident that took his life, but for the amazing son, brother, uncle and friend he was to all of us," the family members said. According to a spokesperson for Occupational Health Safety, Voltegic Energy Services Ltd., which was also charged last year over this incident, is scheduled to be sentenced May 28. Charges against a numbered company were stayed last year. In 2024, 203 people died because of workplace injury or illness in Alberta — up from 165 in 2023.
