For over a year we have been covering the concerns of senior citizens at the retirement villages and with this been said the Council for the City of Johannesburg (COJ) has visited the villages for mini-inspections.
A few months ago, a resident by the name of Alan Thompson who is the secretary of the Riverlea Retirement Village, wrote a letter to the councillor and Major with regards to the neglect of the villages.
Maintenance and security on the property and surrounding grounds were always the main issues the residents had. In a recent letter which Thompson wrote, he wrote to the councillors of the COJ as well as to City Power.
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“Once again our electricity tariff has unbeknown to us been increased. As of July 1, 2018, we have received 10 units per R100, previously, we received 15 units per R100 for persons who receive a grant of R1700 per month. It costs at least R400 per month for electricity.”
This amounts to a quarter of their income. How is it then possible to survive when basic food and clothing still has to be purchased?” the resident asked.
Thompson then went on to explain that it is unfair that some residents survive by obtaining electricity by illegal connections yet the paying residents have to pay the same price for less electricity.
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“Nothing is being done about this it seems. For instance, in Harmony Street, Coronationville, obtaining electricity illegally is the order of the day. Surely, something is rotten in the state.
“Are our leaders powerless in the face of unlawfulness? We do expect increases in the cost of living from time to time, but let these be justified,” said Thompson.
Its only been about a month after the Council visited the villages in our areas but residents remain hopeful that their leaders will find a solution to these issues or else they will be the ones who remain in the battle of surviving with so little income and many expenses.
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