Water finally flows at Tweedy Park
Water issues at the old age home have been resolved.
The City of Ekurhuleni has attended to some of the long outstanding issues at Tweedy Park Old Age Home and the Weltevreden Flats.
The Brakpan Human Settlements Department has restored the water pumps at both facilities and residents no longer have to collect water from the ground floor which is a welcome relief, especially for the elderly residents of Tweedy Park.
As reported by the Brakpan Herald over recent months, Tweedy Park residents have battled water shortages and other issues such as non-working lifts.
The Herald last reported on the issue in our August 18 edition and how two residents had to deal with flooding in their flats due to a pipe leak.
“The state of the two facilities continues to deteriorate and the new administration seems to have no respect for the elderly and no care for the dignity of the occupants of these municipal facilities,” said Ward 97 Clr Brandon Pretorius.
“Turnaround times are so prolonged that it is almost impossible to wait on the municipality for repairs.
“Tweedy Park is plagued with several outstanding issues that have carried over from the previous financial year,.
“The general maintenance of Tweedy Park remains in a horrific state. Two of the main challenges faced a month ago was the non-functional lifts and that there was no consistent water flow to the elderly.
“Although we have managed to apply pressure on the department to ensure the restoration of water, the lifts at the council-owned Tweedy Park flats still either don’t work or are problematic at times which in return means occupants of the flats are stranded and if they dare take a chance to utilise them, they stand the risk of getting stuck.
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“The lack of response from the metro remains alarming. It shows that they do not hold the elderly of our community in very high regard and have no human dignity among themselves.”
With regards to the lifts, Pretorius stated the department responded by saying that the lifts are still under warranty and that the contractor who installed the lifts advised that the parts needed for repairs have been ordered but no commitment could be given on restoration as they were being imported.
Pretorius, however, thanked the community for assisting elderly residents in their time of need.
“I am glad to say that some form of dignity has been restored and a basic human right like water is no longer a luxury,” he said.
“I will continue to fight for the vulnerable and do all that I can to ensure that the much-needed lifts are operational once more. The current administration will fulfil its duties. I will make sure of that.”
