WATCH: Old age homes to be fixed

The newly elected MMC of Housing, Mlungisi Mabaso, conducted an oversight visit at Moffat View Old Age Home on February 5.

This comes after numerous concerns from various councillors regarding poor maintenance at old age homes.

Most of the homes have been experiencing water leaks, faulty electrical connections, security issues and the homes are in dire need of a new coat of paint.

Mabaso was joined by councillor Faeeza Chame, acting deputy director of public housing stock, Modupe Tsiki and other old age homes managers.

Mabaso said as a committee they decided to start with Moffat View to do some repairs in the units because it needed immediate attention.

“We decided to start with this home due to budget constraints because when I took the seat of MMC there was only R15-million available. With that amount we will try and fix all the homes in the City of Johannesburg.

“We will be starting with the ones with more challenges and then, in the next financial year, we will budget for more,” said Mabaso.

Mabaso took the liberty to visit some of the deteriorating units and those which are being repaired.

One of the units he stopped at was cramped with a motorbike, appliances and other unnecessary belongings.

He was impressed with some of the units which are being repaired.

He told the COURIER that visiting Moffat View made him realise that there is a lot of work which still needs to be done in terms of security.

“My visit here yielded positives because now I know what I should do when visiting other old age homes,” he said.

The COURIER took the opportunity to engage with Mabaso with regards to poor living conditions at Reuven Old Age Home.

Mabaso said he is aware of the challenges most of the experience of the home, but he will be doing an oversight visit at Reuven as well.

“In the next coming weeks, I will be going to Reuven. Also, I will go to other homes as well, but not all at once.

“I was instructed to fix everything that is broken. We have even requested an additional budget for the maintenance,” said Mabaso.

He also said they have engaged with JMPD to assist when it comes to security.

Modepi Tsiki on Reuven

He said Reuven is part of the five homes which are being assessed in terms of social profiling and audit of residents.

In his address, he said, “We have five social workers supervised by social development. They are the ones who identify what needs to be done and what problems residents are experiencing.

“They then give us a report and we take it from there. We had a meeting with JMPD and they will be going to all homes under us to do an assessment of what measures need to be applied there.

“Through JMPD we can get private companies to help us with security,” said Tsiki.