Grandmas trapped
THREE elderly disabled women have become prisoners in their own homes, unable to access health care or enjoy daylight. Lamontville residents Lina Mbatha, 86, Christina Ndluli, 75, and Gertrude Ncayiyane, 65, are unable to attend monthly clinic check-ups because their RDP houses are situated on steep slopes far from the road. There is no one to help and they do not have functional wheelchairs.
Mbatha said she is stuck on her couch all day. “A local organisation used to pick me up to receive medication, but they have recently stopped this. I had to pay four men R100 to carry me from my house to the roadside so they can pick me up, but even this is no longer possible.”
Ndluli said she was grateful for her RDP home but wishes it could be moved closer to the road. Last week, the grandmothers were visited by Dr Imran Keeka of the DA, with councillor Sithembiso Ngema.
Keeka wrote to the chairperson of the Quality of Life Committee appealing for urgent intervention.
“We will need to look at access for the elderly residents especially access to health care which is a basic right. This should include working with the department of health and ensuring they are enrolled on the Central Chronic Medicine Dispensing and Distribution programme.
“We will have to ensure also that they receive functional wheelchairs and then to work with the district Department of Health to ensure that the Department of Health visits these elderly ladies on a scheduled basis,” Keeka said inreply.
He said the committee should consider bringing the matter of modifying the homes to the Department of Human Settlements.
“There is a need to possibly build access ramps and of course, the first prize being relocation to street level in disabled-friendly houses. While the latter may be beyond immediate reach, the other options must be looked into,” said Keeka.
After the Sunday Tribune spoke to the KZN Department of Health, there seems to be hope for the grandmothers.
Spokesperson Desmond Motha said the department would make arrangements to visit the women.
He also said it was ultimately the responsibility of the ward councillor to bring their challenges before the relevant stakeholders.
Motha said Operation Sukuma Sakhe, known as the War Rooms, had been created so that such issues facing communities could be addressed. But ward councillor Octavia Nolubabolo Mthembu said she was unaware of the matter.