Help rescue this frail old woman from misery

Alex Police Station’s Victim Empowerment Unit and non-profit organisation Kidz Clinic manager, Elizabeth Mokoena has appealed to frail care homes around the township to do what she called the ‘honourable thing’ and take a frail 70-year-old woman into their care.

Nondlela Lillian Mogale, born on 7 May 1947, lives in a small and filthy one-room shack in 15th Avenue, a stones-throw away from the police station, and spends most of her time sleeping under blankets that have not seen any form of washing in many years.

Read: Mokoena rebukes Alex parents

When Mokoena arrived, she found that Mogale could hardly speak. As a social worker, Mokoena suspects that a contributing factor to Mogale’s sorry plight in her advanced age is not eating properly.

“I was alerted to her state by concerned community members and I found the neglect was deplorable.”

Mokoena found the dilapidated fridge almost empty and there were no basic foodstuffs such as mealie-meal, milk, bread, and meat – a sure sign that, besides Mogale’s age, hunger was playing a major role in her frail state.

She immediately called for an ambulance to take Mogale to Alex Clinic in the hopes she could be there for a couple of days, if not transferred to a hospital so she could eat well and maybe pick up her strength, but she was discharged on 12 July after spending just one night there.

Even though she was discharged too soon, Mokoena said she came back much better and her speech had improved. She could hold a conversation, in which she told Mokoena her son had died a few years ago and that she had relatives but she does not know where they were. She also has a boyfriend who is often away and running his errands.

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Mokoena appealed to frail homes around Alex to come to the rescue of Mogale and take her away from the misery of her dark and filthy shack and blankets. “All she needs is good care and proper eating patterns.

“If she is taken into frail care, I am quite confident she can pick up and start an active life once more. I believe her situation is exacerbated by hunger or a poor diet – if she gets food to eat at all.”

Mokoena said she has spoken to one of the homes but was given the run-around. “I appeal to them to do the honourable thing and rescue this old woman in the name and day of former President Nelson Mandela. Do the honourable thing this Mandela Day and take in this frail woman,” she appealed.

Details: Elizabeth Mokoena 011 321 7615/4; 083 315 0748.

What sort of help do you think frail Nondlela Lillian Mogale needs? Tweet your suggestions @AlexNewsZA