Fairlands workers draw a line with protest
ABOUT 20 staff and builders at Fairlands Old Age Home downed tools and brandished glitter placards in protest against two of its residents yesterday.
The extraordinary picket targeted Topper Whitehead and Brian Rehse, with protesters chanting “Topper Must Fall” and signs reading “Bring peace back to Fairlands”, “We are not employed by you”, “Leave us to do our jobs in peace” and “Time for Topper, Rehse & Co to retire”.
The vocal protesters, who gathered beneath a gazebo on the verdant gardens in front of Whitehead’s cottage, included contracted builders as well as an in-house plumber, human resources manager and a bookkeeper.
“While we try to sort out problems, he [Whitehead] leans over us taking pictures,” complained maintenance and security supervisor Tjaart Venter.
“He is harassing all of us,” said bookkeeper Tish Goodrich, who made the glitter-adorned signs.
Plumber’s assistant Keanan Lundall said he felt he was being “watched constantly”.
“They complain about every single thing we do and say we are lazy when we take our lunch.”
Whitehead, a former mining engineer and builder, alleged he was being intimidated and victimised because he had exposed sub-standard construction work and tender irregularities. He said renovations done to vacated cottages were not put out to tender.
“It’s always the same two contractors. I have also taken pictures of shocking, sub-standard work done by one of our staff for which we have to pay,” he said.
Rehse, a member of the home’s Cottage Association and a former building inspector, said the renovations hurt his pocket and his levies had doubled in four years. “I love Fairlands, but I don’t love the way they spend our money.”
Topper collected 52 signatures and submitted them to the East London Senior Citizens Association (ELSCA), which runs Fairlands and other homes, calling for a vote of no confidence in ELSCA executive director Colleen Petzer. The vote will be taken at a general meeting at 2pm tomorrow.
Resident Doreen Runchman sided with management, saying staff worked overtime for the home to run smoothly. “I came to Fairlands nine years ago to retire and let someone else take care of [things]. They work hard, and some come in over the weekends and get called out after hours.”
Petzer said the board had written two lawyers’ letters to Whitehead “to try to stop him interfering with staff and contractors, but he continues”.
Asked how she felt about resident’s call of no confidence in her, she said: “I suppose it comes as part of my job.”
She said cottage renovations were too small to warrant going out to tender and that this process would delay the upgrades.
ELSCA chairman Ron Beard said Fairlands Home staff had approached the CCMA for permission for the demonstration, which is scheduled until Wednesday, because they felt that certain cottage residents were interfering with the execution of their duties.
“The executive committee is bound by the ruling of the CCMA and have reluctantly agreed to the demonstration taking place.” —