High-rise window cleaners say trust in colleagues is how to show up at work

Three fearless office block window cleaners say being suspended high in the sky is no longer scary, “it's just another day on the job”.

Nkosinathi Ndebele, Bhekumuzi Ncube and Ronald Ndebele from High Access Projects spoke to TimesLIVE during a stint at a four-storey building in central Johannesburg.

“We no longer fear this. For us it’s like when a person goes to school for driving, the first day you are scared but the fear goes away,” said Ncube.

Nkosinathi Ndebele said trust is key when you are up there as anything can happen.

Similar to skydivers, they check each other's equipment at the start of each shift.

“Before we start working, we start with a 'buddy check'. You check me before I climb and I check you before you climb. If something happens to him while I am next to him, I will get investigated, it will look like I am the one responsible.” 

According to the men, there haven't been any accidents in their company in the 12 years they have worked there.

“I have never been hurt on the job and I do not know of anyone who has since I’ve been here.” 

They said their families are used to them going to work and doing what they do.

The men need to strategise while on the job as the weather can affect how they work.

“We monitor the weather when we are working. We have to monitor the wind because weather can sometimes affect our job, it's a risk. When it’s raining you can get caught with lightning and we have to put our lives first. Even when it’s too hot, we check. We need to strategise.

“We have cleaned windows of about 50, 60- storey buildings, Transnet, Carlton Centre.”

“To clean a building such as PwC near the Mall of Africa, when we are seven, can take up to two or three weeks.” 

Though the job is potentially risky, they said it's better when you know that if you get hurt on the job you will be taken care of. “The company provides us with insurance in case we get hurt. We go to private healthcare.”

They obtained their certificates from Heights and Safety Training and Gravity Training.

“You are not allowed to use these things without the certificate, before you start working, you are supposed to go to school first and train for it,” said Nkosinathi.

“The certificate lasts for three years, then you must go back to training again to remind you how it works,” said Ronald.

The men all said they enjoyed the work. “The view when you are up there is nice, it’s like you are in an aeroplane, you see a lot of things when you are up there.” 

Though they love their job, they do not want their children to follow them into working as high-rise cleaners.

“I am working hard for them to have a better future, not to be where I am,” said Ncube.  

TimesLIVE