Report of the Medical Officer of Health on the public health and sanitary circumstances of Johannesburg.

  • Johannesburg
Date:
[1932]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Medical Officer of Health on the public health and sanitary circumstances of Johannesburg. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    35/40 page 33
    This Department has instituted legal proceedings in respect of 6 properties, due to reoccupation, and convictions were obtained in four cases, the fines inflicted on the owners by the Court totalling £32 10s. In one case the owner was fined £20. Two cases were withdrawn by the prosecutor, on proof of the owners having demolished the buildings. The volume of work involved has been very large and the actual number of inspections, etc., runs into many thousands. The Special Inspectors have rendered the Council valued and strenuous service. INSPECTION OF PLANS. A system of close co-operation with the City Engineer is in vogue in regard to a systematic examination of all plans submitted to the Council for approval. In addition plans of Native Compounds, etc., submitted by the Mining Com¬ panies to the Government Native Affairs Department, are forwarded by that Department for examination and criticism to your Medical Officer, who is appointed Medical Officer to the Department under the Native Labour Regula¬ tions, Johannesburg Mining District. This system has been working very harmoniously for some years between the officials of the City Engineer’s Department and a specially trained Plans Inspector, who is a qualified Architect and Sanitary Engineer, and whose duty it is to check all plans, report in writing on all defects or breaches of by-laws disclosed by the drawings, re-inspect after amendment, and when in order, to approve finally on behalf of your M.O.H., to whom all doubtful or special cases are referred. Structural defects are dealt with by the City Engineer, but all matters bearing on public health, such as open spaces about dwellings and buildings, lighting, ventilation, including that of theatres, churches and places of amuse¬ ment, facilities for storage and removal of refuse, plumbing and drainage, stables, all premises for which the Council issues licences, such as dairies, bakehouses and fishmongers’ shops, etc., are carefully studied, with excellent results on the general hygienic welfare of the community. A large percentage of plans are returned for amendment or improvement, and many Architects, Builders and owners avail themselves of the opportunities offered for consultation. The arrangements in vogue are of especial value to the Department when dealing with slum properties which involve partial demolition, re-building or extensive repairs to meet the requirements of Orders of Court. The provisions of the Public Health, Building, Drainage and Plumbing By-laws, Factory Act (working in co-operation with the Government Factory Inspector), Government Regulations re Rat-proofing, and Native Labour Regu¬ lations, are all systematically checked and necessary action taken to ensure compliance before plans are approved. During the period under review 7,329 plans were approved, the estimated cost of erection being £2,931,523, as against 6,646 plans and £3,080,564 cost of erection for the year ended 30t,h June, 1931.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3