WATCH: DA assesses neglected retirement homes
The deteriorating state of the Annie Burger retirement home and Crown Gardens has prompted the Democratic Alliance (DA) to step in
A delegation from the DA conducted a comprehensive oversight inspection of the Annie Burger Retirement Home and Crown Gardens on August 17.
The purpose of the visit was to assess the alarming state of the infrastructure and living conditions at the home, which had received numerous complaints from its residents.
The DA’s Meryn Cirota MPL, Evert du Plessis MPL, Manny de Freitas MP, and councillor Stuart Marais undertook this critical mission.
Residents’ complaints regarding the deteriorating conditions within the Annie Burger and Crown Gardens retirement homes in Johannesburg South have raised serious concerns. The DA’s inspection comes in response to these pleas for intervention.
Residents have decried the apparent abandonment of the facility by the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, leaving them in an environment unfit for habitation.
The retirement home has faced an alarming lack of proper maintenance, with cracked walls, persistent water leaks, unstable staircases and the absence of essential fire safety measures.
These conditions of the facilities led to a collective call for urgent action. Evert du Plessis MPL, DA Gauteng spokesperson for Human Settlements, emphasised the importance of addressing these concerns: “The lives and belongings of the elderly residing at Annie Burger and Crown Gardens in Johannesburg South are at risk due to collapsing infrastructure.”
The DA’s oversight inspection of these facilities has unveiled the harsh realities faced by the residents daily.
Shockingly, the City of Johannesburg had disconnected the water supply to Annie Burger home, leaving the elderly residents to fetch water from a JoJo tank. Some residents even resorted to using their pension funds to patch up and repaint their rooms.
The situation has extended beyond infrastructural concerns, touching on issues of crime and other social challenges that urgently need intervention.
To address this pressing issue, the DA plans took a multi-pronged approach.
They engaged with residents, contractors, and relevant authorities to determine when bulk infrastructure installation will be completed. In addition, they strived to understand the obstacles residents face in the area.
The DA has planned to reach out to Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements Lebogang Maile to ascertain responsibility for the maintenance of these elderly residential facilities, the maintenance budget, and the timeline for the last maintenance activities. Moreover, the DA aims to hold the responsible parties accountable for utility bill payments.
Recognising the need for a comprehensive approach, the DA will also communicate with the Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Mbali Hlophe, and Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko.
The DA emphasised the importance of protecting the elderly residents who have contributed to their communities throughout their lives. The delegation is committed to ensuring that the necessary attention and resources are allocated to address the challenges faced by these vulnerable populations.
