Home for the elderly threatened with closure
Authorities say the home does not comply with the fire safety regulations
ALTHOUGH a good Samaritan recently donated three fire extinguishers to ensure that the only old age home in Khayelitsha stays open, the Ithemba Community Old Age Home still faces closure.
The Cape Times published a story last month that the home was facing closure after it was found not to meet fire safety requirements.
After reading the article, Westcor, a business development company donated three fire extinguishers to the home.
But the co-founder, Nicholas Gxotiwe, said he was left confused after city officials came and told them the home would close.
“We could not understand after they helped us with fire extinguishers and after we were told we did not meet the fire safety requirements.
“We really don’t know what to do now. Our worry is the old people who we are keeping safe here, and some of them had been abandoned,” he said.
Mayco member for safety and security and social services JP Smith said the City’s fire life safety section and the environmental health department conducted an inspection of the premises in October last year.
“The inspection found that the facility is overcrowded, that there are serious shortcomings in terms of the building structure, as well as inadequate fire safety equipment and measures.
“The owner was found to be in contravention of the environmental health and community fire safety by-laws and was informed in writing of everything that needed to be done to ensure compliance,” he said.
Smith said that to meet all the fire safety requirements, the home must have a fire escape which is a minimum of 1.5m wide, the fire escape doors must be provided with a panic bolt device. In addition, it had to have firefighting equipment such as fire extinguishers, hose reels and hydrants, relative to the size of the premises.
“The fire exits also have to comply with regulations governing the safety of people with disabilities. The external walls of the building must have a fire rating of 60. Refuge areas may be required if the building has more than one storey,” he pointed out.
Westcor financial manager Elana Scott said they were disappointed.
“That is not good news. We do not understand the reason for the potential closure of the home. We have come alongside these champions to enable them to continue their labour of love.
“It is a service of love that they are doing and yet they face these obstacles because of the lack of support and understanding from the regulators and wider corporate support structures.
“These community people need support rather than hindrances,” she said.
Gxotiwe said this process was never explained to them. Instead, various fire safety officials conducted inspections on their premises.