​Gauteng Health Comms.
It has been a year since a catastrophic fire engulfed Bank of Lisbon building, which housed Gauteng Departments of Health, Human Settlements and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
The events of 05 September 2018, which saw three firefighters die and many injured, was commemorated outside the building with mixed feelings amongst the employees who worked in the Bank of Lisbon.
It is evident that Psycho-social support; clarity on questions such as what caused the fire which are presumably contained in an undisclosed forensic report are needed to ensure closure.
In his keynote address, MEC Dr Bandile Masuku gave assurance on the Department's commitment to ensure adherence to the Occupational Health and Safety Standards (OHS) in all its facilities. 
"This commitment is anchored on firstly ensuring that all existing facilities are OHS compliant, and secondly that our buildings are underpinned by proper resilient urban management practices which prioritise the greening of our buildings – which in effect refers to buildings that are less hazardous and have increased resilience against both climate change and man-made disasters. "added the MEC.  
The MEC also emphasized the effects of that fateful day added to the existing strain that the employees of the Bank of Lisbon have faced as a result of high levels of service demands.
"At the core of our priorities as the Department is the improvement of staff morale, which includes providing mental health support. We have a long way to go as a Department in dealing with some of the other challenges that exist in our healthcare system," said MEC.   
While some employees who spoke to the Health Talk team are happy with the department efforts to improve safety since the fire, others still feel they are exposed to dangers and they also feel their plights of knowing the truth about the cause of fire are being ignored. 
Azeeza Rangunwala from Health Care Waste and Occupational Health Risk Management who was not in the building on the fateful day, said although there is still a long way to go, the department has escalated issues of occupational health since the fire and counselling sessions have been offered although few employees are attending.
"We will be eternal grateful to the firefighters who risked and lost their lives while ensuring employees safety," she said.
Another employee who was in the building when the fire erupted and spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimization, said the event was for our management to be seen on TV.
"It's been a year but myself and other staff members still do not have proper work stations or tools of trade but we are expected to produce work of the highest standard.  We are squashed, sitting on broken desks and chairs yet they say occupational health and safety is prioritized," she said.
Concluding, the MEC said, "I wish to once again honour the lives of the firefighters who lost their lives in this ordeal. These men have gone beyond their call of duty, they have in their last moment displayed a sense of high regard for service and others. I hope that their level of service and commitment to their work may inspire all of us to serving with diligence and commitment. The onus is upon us to Grow Gauteng Health Together. May we in remembrance of our fallen brothers fight the good fight and ensure that what has happened never be repeated."