Property lease brings relief

Living Link, a non-profit organisation, can finally breathe a sigh of relief after securing a property lease.

Located on the banks of the Braamfontein Spruit in Parkhurst, Living Link has, after a seven-year battle, finally secured the lease on the property on which they are based.

This organisation was founded in 2000 by mother and daughter Julia Wilkinson and Ingrid Menzel respectively. It facilitates intellectually-disabled peoples’ transition from school to work, to independent living.

According to the managing director Stanley Bawden, in 2006 the organisation moved to the property which was once a home to war veterans, who had developed epilepsy in battle.

“The veterans moved-in during the 1940’s and after some time, most of them later moved to the Reea hostel and over time others died,” he explained.

“When Living Link took over the residence in 2006, it was then brought to light that there was no lease.

Being involved in the battle to secure a lease, Lim Lugli said the ongoing debacle lasted exactly seven years, from the first application and she is grateful that she saw it through.

“I have complete 18 presentations. At some point during one of the presentations, I looked around and saw how some of the people in the room were either not interested and some even trying not to fall asleep,” she said. Lugli remarked that was times like those she when, would wonder, “Why am I here”?

“But I knew I would never give up because this organisation was unique. If the people that had been contacted in the beginning had followed through then this matter would have been solved years ago,” she added.

However, Lugli made special mention of one woman from the Gauteng department of infrastructure, Nomfundo Ngwenya.

“She listened to our presentation a year ago and it is through her intervention that we can finally breathe a sigh of relief knowing that we have this lease,” she concluded.

Details: 011-447-7183;www.thelivinglink.co.za