No security to speak of at Donovan McDonald
Besides a lack of outdoor lighting, it is alleged nobody checks who drives in and out at night.
For criminals it would be as easy as driving or walking into the parking lot and driving out in an elderly person’s vehicle, and coming off scot-free.
This is the current situation at Donovan McDonald Old Age Home, as has been confirmed by Roodepoort Care for the Aged manager, Andy Harris and aspirant councillor for Ward 70, Caleb Finn.
Finn met Harris on the centre’s premises last Thursday night (7 April) to discuss and inspect other problems desperate residents had reported to the RCA. The lack of repairs on hallway and outdoor lighting at the centre, reported on in a previous Record article, also were discussed.
Finn said he entered the property, allegedly without so much as a ‘Who are you?’ from the security personnel hired to guard the centre. The gates were open and he neither was asked to identify himself in any way, state the reason for his visit nor sign in. Two Record journalists experienced the nonchalance of the security services on previous visits, in which instances they also could enter the property without stating their intentions.
A quick assessment of the state of the centre on Thursday night led Finn to the conclusion that the major problem at the centre remains the parking lot, which is neither well lit, allowing for criminals to hide, nor is it guarded well; and some maintenance has been done on the hallway lights but the power boxes remain unsecured and dangerous.
Related article: 75 days in darkness for Roodepoort’s elderly
The meeting between Finn and Harris followed a recent visit by members of the Region C Disaster Management Advisory Sub Forum, of which Finn also is a member, to perform a risk assessment. The assessment was done in middle March with the intention of identifying high-risk areas in the region.
According to the risk report, which forum chairman Ebrahim Hoosen supplied to the Record, the team had found the lifts, emergency stairways, hallways and corridors, power boxes, fire-fighting equipment and security to be lacking, posing a high risk to residents in an emergency situation – besides inconveniencing the elderly on a daily basis.
Finn currently is seeking council with the relevant person/s in Region C management to find out what could be done to curb crime at the centre.
According to a letter written by a resident, supplied by Harris, in the past six weeks four vehicles had been broken into and damaged when the radios were stolen. It is not certain whether any of or all the incidents were reported to police.
The Record requested and is awaiting comment from Florida Police.
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