Old Age Home suffers at the hands of copper thieves
Thembela Home in Morningside is in need of support from the community.
MANAGEMENT from Thembela Old Age Home in Morningside are appealing to the local community for assistance.
The home has been severely affected by crime over the past few months, and according to Major Frankie Burgoyne, in the one month she has been running the home, there have been five break-ins.
“Criminals are stealing our copper pipes. The first time it happened they pulled the pipe out of the wall which left us with no water or gas. The second time they came at midnight and we had to call a plumber out at 2am as there was water gushing out. He fixed the pipe, and at 3.30am, the guys returned. It cost us R7880 to fix this,” she said.
Burgoyne said the incidents have unsettled residents who have witnessed men stealing the pipes, and it has affected their ability to sleep at night.
“Thieves came through our gate by breaking the one side, which we had to weld, and the next time they broke the back of the gate. We also had a car stolen from the property recently. We have had to put up huge spotlights, so it looks like a rugby field at night, and have erected more barbed wire on the fences,” she said.
Burgoyne said she has been overwhelmed by the unexpected costs resulting from these incidents, which added to the burden of increased running costs at the home.
“We have 49 residents and the cost to house and feed them is increasing. We can’t afford to do maintenance on the property. We have missing and broken gutters which need to be fixed as well as three broken geysers. Our urn, toasters and stoves are also broken. It’s a mighty battle to maintain the place,” she said.
The home is a level one organisation and receives no government subsidy as it offers no frail care facility.
“We get one R100 donation a month and pensioners live on government subsidies. We have to shop everyday and battle the rising costs of food, electricity and water. We have no funding for extra staff, and our dedicated staff work so hard,” she said.
Burgoyne said was appealing to the community for support.
“People need to care more for the elderly and understand that not all of them have family to support and care for them. We are appealing to people, corporates or service clubs to invest in us, to take part in an adopt a room project to revamp the rooms at the home, to help us with monthly donations, to help with maintenance of the property or even to come entertain the elderly and treat them with gifts on special occasions,” she said.
She said she would love to revamp the lounge and outdoor areas to brighten up the home for the residents.
If you are able to help in any way, contact Frankie on 031 312 6368 or 082 330 5945.
