WATCH: ‘Please help us’ – Elderly citizens accuse City of Joburg-owned retirement centre of abuse

Elderly citizens from a City of Joburg-owned and managed retirement centre made serious claims of mismanagement and abuse yesterday.

The Donovan McDonald Retirement Centre is a rental facility for senior citizens situated at Florida and consists of 175 units.

Last week, the senior citizens took to the streets and protested against the alleged mistreatment and corruption at the centre which resulted in authorities holding a meeting yesterday at the facility’s hall.

According to the residents, the problems at the old age home included:

• Maintenance problems and the decay of the facility;
• People who lived there illegally;
• Residents felt under threat because of crime; and
• Issues of billing fees and statements.

Complaints were also raised regarding vacant units sold to youngsters who then allegedly engaged in illegal activities and terrorised the elderly. Cars were allegedly stolen from the premises, despite 24-hour security.

It was understood for a unit, one was placed on a waiting list and required to wait at least five years. However, according to residents, others could gain access as long as money was involved.

‘Everything has changed’

Lydia Moeketsie, 91, has lived at the retirement centre since 2004, and said she had witnessed the deterioration of the centre over the years. Back then, she said, things functioned efficiently, but now everything had changed.

Moeketsie said it now looked like there was no manager or councillor with the conditions they were stuck in.

“When you try to speak to the manager and caretaker, Ethel Sereme, she just looks at you and does nothing. She does not attend to the reports or respond to calls and has even accused the elderly of wanting to hurt her,” she said.

“They are not treating us well at all.”

Sereme was understood to be the city’s housing department’s operations manager and she also managed the retirement centre. She was present but did not comment.

Moeketsie said the elderly citizens saw and knew management’s dealings and claimed it was involved in the illegal selling of units at the centre.

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“What kind of a manager is this?” she asked.

“They come with all these different people they are connected with and give these units in exchange for cash.

“They need to be removed from these positions because they are not doing the right job.”

Management ‘not’ helping elderly citizens

Moeketsie said she failed to understand why everyone still bothered holding these meetings when nothing would be done to resolve the issues.

“They choose to focus and engage in other things and we never see them here. They only came here today because we protested last week,” she said.

Moeketsie pleaded with the rest of government to assist because all she wanted was to live in peace.

“Please help us because the ones in charge are not doing anything,” she said.

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“This place was never like this. They do not care about us, while they are living comfortable lives.”

Present at the meeting was department of human settlements public housing stock management acting director Zanele Lawana, officials from the South African Police Service, Bosmont’s community policing forum and non-profit Jason’s Angels.

Lawana said grievances were acknowledged and measures would be undertaken to investigate them. The elderly citizens would be provided with feedback next Monday.

– lungas@citizen.co.za