Swinburne Old Age Home unsettles elderly
Inside the premises, you encounter bad and leaking sewerage system, unattended long grass and faulty electrical connections.
SUE Lubbe, health activist, Ward 57 councillor Faeeza Chame and councillor Suzanne Clarke, chairperson of housing in the ward, couldn’t hold their anger after witnessing what the elderly have to put up with every day of their lives.
The Swinburne Old Age Home in South Hills can be deceiving with its impressive outside infrastructure, but once inside the picture changes. The place looks horrifying and dilapidated.
Inside the premises, you encounter bad and leaking sewerage system, unattended long grass and faulty electrical connections. The ceilings are old and on the verge of caving in, with gaping holes. The windows are broken.
The safety of the elderly is also in doubt. It is easy for pedestrians to gain access to the home, with youngsters scaling the fence with their girlfriends at night.
The COURIER has learnt the security personnel of the home is often changed without any valid reason given to the residents.
Chame promised to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. “I will organise bins and beef up the security. Not only Swinburne will be taken care of, but other homes as well,” said Chame.
The home manager, only identified as Mr Smith, refused to comment on the allegations. He referred the newspaper to lodge all inquiries with the Johannesburg City Council’s communications department.
At the time of going to print, the city’s communications department had not responded to our inquiries.
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