Two ailing sisters get their Meadowlands home revamped

A hive of activities and excitement rippled through at the Zwane homestead, in Meadowlands as two ailing sisters received a major makeover to their home on International Mandela Day, thanks to the efforts of Ethembeni Non-profit.

The two siblings Phumzile, who has been diagnosed with bipolar and her elder sister Thabile, who is also on psychiatrist medication were identified as the beneficiaries to get a fully sponsored make over to the house.

The team from Ethembeni, flanked by local business owners Marks Kubheka and Vanti Masuku repainted the meadowlands house inside and out, donated a new bed as well as blankets and bedding.

Bheki Hlatshwayo, founder of Ethembeni said, “We were informed about it by concerned community members, and when we came to assess the situation we saw the inhumane conditions of this house.

“The situation was dire and heart breaking that there are people who live like this. There is even a strong stench coming from the house, so you can see people are living but there is no way to live like this.”

According to residents, while Phumzile’s daughter Hlengiwe is at work, there was no care for the ailing sisters and they would be alone at the house with the gate locked to prevent them from wandering off until she returns home in the afternoon.

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“When the daughter is at work there is no one caring for them and ensuring that their medication is taken on time. It is extremely sad to see them like that because they mess on themselves.

‘The bed is full of dried up puke, it is inhumane and no one should live like that,” Neighbour, Doreen Thabethe described the atrocious conditions faced by the sisters.

According to residents, they had previously reached out to social workers to assist the sisters with a caregiver who would ensure that while Hlengiwe is at work, they would bath and give them medication but this they said had not yielded results.

“We have tried to have social workers intervene; they came once to assess the situation but never returned again. We tried via the clinic to at least assist with caregivers who will come daily to the house because our fear is that they will continue to default on their treatment and the situation from going back to the same state.”

Thabethe’s daughter Zandile added, “Hlengiwe, is the one who stays with them – she sleeps with her mother on the floor. She has been affected so deeply because this has almost become a norm to her.

“We can’t blame her because there are no grown people besides the two who are sick.

“She grew up in this situation, taking care of her mother from a young age. She admitted that she does need help but can’t leave work.”

As part of the interventions by the NPO, Hlatshwayo said they had been in contact with the Ithuteng Old Age Home also based in Meadowlands to assist on a long term basis.

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“We called the old age home based in Meadowlands to see how we can help this family in the long term. Our stance is that, beyond today, they are better taken to a facility that can better care for them. They will be making their own assessment and see how best to help them,” Hlatshwayo concluded.