Mohlakeng Old Age Home empty, yet employees continue to draw salaries
DA member of parliament says R43,5 million Mohlakeng Old Age Home has been standing empty for almost six years with no beneficiaries while the DSD has employed staff members who continue to draw salaries monthly.
Bronwynn Engelbrecht, member of parliament and DA Gauteng spokesperson for Social Development has strongly criticised the Gauteng Department of Social Development (DSD) regarding the situation at the Mohlakeng Old Age Home.
In a statement issued on April 20, Engelbrecht said the R43,5 million Mohlakeng Old Age Home in Rand West City has been standing empty and gathering dust for almost six years with no beneficiaries while the DSD has employed staff members who continue to draw salaries monthly.
Elderly people in Rand West currently suffer under socioeconomic problems, a lack of housing and poor support systems in the community, and are in desperate need of adequate facilities.
“To make matters worse, the DSD has spent R43 523 018,26 to build Mohlakeng Old Age Home and it has yet to be issued with an occupancy certificate as the building does not comply with the Occupational Health and Safety regulations,” Engelbrecht said.
In the same press release, Engelbrecht went on to say that the information was revealed by the Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Morakane Mosupyoe, who had written in response to questions tabled at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
“According to MEC Mosupyoe, the construction of this facility started in 2010. The initial cost was R39 440 232 which was adjusted to R43 523 01,26.
“The annual cost of the furniture was R2 979 512 for the 2012/ 2013 financial year. The facility is designed to accommodate up to 56 elderly people.
MEC Mosupyoe states that this facility was never opened or utilised and there were no beneficiaries admitted due to the unavailability of an occupancy certificate,” the statement read.
Engelbrecht went on to say in November 2020, the DA tabled written questions to the former MEC for Social Development, Nomathemba Mokgethi with regards to the Mohlakeng Old Age Home.
“According to Mokgethi, the construction of this facility was completed on July 31, 2016. It was launched on April 26, 2019 and the employees started working on August 1, 2019.
“Initially, they employed 24 staff members, of which 14 staff members left the facility for new opportunities. The cost of the salary bill for the staff since the opening is R1 051 759 98; in addition, the facility received R1 333 425 from the department for nine months.”
Engelbrecht condemned this situation and said it was yet another example of the vast waste of money by the department employing staff in a facility with no residents.
‘”The DA will be tabling follow-up questions in the GPL to ascertain how many employees are still employed at this facility, how much has been spent on their wage bill and what the scope of their work is.
We will also ascertain the progress with regards to the DSD in fixing the infrastructure glitches and ensuring that the building is compliant with the occupational health and safety standards, and when an occupancy certificate will be issued,” she said in the press release.
She added that the DA will continue to push for accountability in this matter.
“The department must be held accountable for wasting taxpayers’ money by employing staff members while there are no beneficiaries and no work to be done. It must also account for its failure to comply with the occupational health and safety standards when constructing this facility.
“We will also fight to stop the abuse of taxpayers’ money and ensure that the vulnerable elderly people in Rand West are accommodated at this facility as they continue to suffer due to the shortage of elderly facilities in the area,” Engelbrecht concluded.
