Feeding scheme driven to distraction
ALEXANDRA - Phutaditjaba Centre is struggling to feed bedridden elderly on time due to a lack of reliable transport.
Phuthaditjaba Centre in 17th Avenue, which feeds and provides food parcels to hundreds of elderly residents has a critical transport issue.
Its beneficiaries are 70 and older, with three of them aged 104, 106 and 110. Two hundred beneficiaries are fed daily at the centre, and 235 at their homes as some of them are bedridden.
The centre is struggling to provide meals on time to those fed at their homes. Their current means of transport is inadequate for the collection of food supplies from other donors, and for door-to-door meal deliveries.
The centre is also concerned by the growing level of abuse of the elderly. Linda Twala, centre founder and director said, “Many of them are swindled of their meagre income from pension points by omashonisa [loan sharks] and fly by night burial societies. This behaviour contradicts our ubuntu principles – especially for the frail and elderly who in their twilight years only expect our care and support.
“I request families of these elderly to accompany them to pay points on pension pay-out days or help register them with banking systems of their choice so they can access their money in a secure manner.”
If anyone would like to assist or even donate a vehicle suitable for delivering meals as well as ferrying outreach caregivers on their daily home visits, contact Linda Twala on 011 887 5695
011 887 5695.
