We are living in squalor - elderly
Anger at neglect of old age homes boils over
TEMPERS flared and unsavoury words were thrown around at the Bethelsdorp Old Age Home in Salsoneville, Port Elizabeth, yesterday as tenants took to the streets in protest at poor facilities and lack of security.
The elderly residents, many in wheelchairs or on crutches, toyi-toyied at the Adams Street facility, singing and chanting songs including the Mshini Wam struggle song made famous by President Jacob Zuma.
Residents of the northern areas’ Bethelsdorp, Adcock, Elizabeth Stuurman and Ellen Hendricks old age homes voiced their unhappiness with the new management, saying despite paying rent nothing was ever done to improve the homes.
Residents complained of leaking roofs and some that had caved in, poor living conditions, a lack of security, not benefiting from donations given to the homes and that caretakers did little to look after them.
Some want the homes’ new custodian, Basa Homes, headed by Godfrey Grootboom, to leave as they had “done nothing to better things around here” since they took over running of the homes in October last year.
Zubayda Kannemeyer, treasurer of the Bethelsdorp Accommodation for the Elderly committee, said more was done with tenants’ rent money when the committee was in control of it.
She said the rent was used to “fix up the place”, but the new management wanted tenants to stop paying the committee and channel the money directly to the Basa Homes bank account.
“As the legitimate committee elected by residents, we used the money to make this place look more presentable, but since these people came in, there has been no further improvements to this place or any of the homes.
“We just pay rent and don’t see where it is going. They must stop eating our pension money.”
Residents yesterday disrupted a meeting between Grootboom and members of the Old People’s Forum, which is meant to represent tenants of the old age homes, demanding to be heard.
Adcock Home resident Gloria Yakwe, 63, said they did not even benefit from donations sent in to the homes.
“Good-hearted people send through donations, but nothing even reaches us. We don’t know what happens to our monthly allocations because we are living in squalor,” she said.
Residents were also calling for management to account for the R1 700 they received from the Department of Social Development for each person every month.
Grootboom said rent had to be paid to them to cover municipal costs. “The homes’ municipal bills are quite high, averaging about R50 000 a month so we need [residents] to pay rent to the correct account,” he said.
Eastern Cape Social Development Department spokesman Gcobani Maswana said they would investigate the matter.
“We will definitely do an investigation like we did at Mthatha’s Empilweni Home where we found maladministration,” he said.
“As custodians of the old age homes, our job is to act quickly if there are allegations of ill-treatment of the elderly. The act mandates us as such.”