With its budding blooms and manicured lawns, Deneys Conradie Residentia, a municipal-owned housing complex for the elderly in Western Extension, appears to be a picturesque space for its 120 residents to enjoy their golden years.

However, tensions are brewing within this Railway Avenue property as residents grow increasingly vocal about the City of Ekurhuleni’s (CoE) sheer lack of accountability regarding ongoing maintenance issues plaguing the facility.

“We have contributed to society, we have paid our dues, yet we are expected to live with dignity, in flats that are rotting from the inside,” said residents as they waited for a delegation from Benoni Department of Human Settlements, in conjunction with Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s office, to arrive for a public meeting, scheduled for 10:00 on February 19.

The meeting comes following pressure from residents to finally have their voices heard.

The consultation was initially scheduled for February 9, but was rescheduled by the Department of Human Settlements.

With residents already gathered in the parking area, eager to have their concerns addressed, a notification was received just before 10:00 that due to “unforeseen circumstances” the meeting was again cancelled by the department, with no proposed future date.

Shortly after the message was circulated, a representative of the department arrived with printed copies of this notice.

He could not elaborate on the cancellation, however, when pressed for answers admitted that maintenance at all municipal-owned rental stock has ground to a halt due to the contract with the council appointed contactor coming to an end in July last year.

“All the complaints have been logged but nothing further can be done until a new contract has been signed,” said the representative, who wished not to be named.

Establishing a residents’ association

Angered and disappointed, Anand Kanthan, a resident of three years, took the Benoni City Times on a tour of the building, pointing out various serious maintenance issues, which he said could potentially lead to structural collapse.

“Since the end of last year, we have been liaising with the department with the intention of establishing a residents’ association with an elected committee,” he said.

“The purpose of it would be to centralise complaints, which the committee will then report to the department.

“As it is, residents have to go directly to the department to log complaints. Many do not have transport so they rely on lift opportunities or walk.

“Many are over the age of 80. A designated committee could ease this burden and act as a middleman.”

Kanthan further explained that if successful, the committee could be permitted to conduct minor repairs, thus cutting costs and assisting with quicker turn-around times.

This proposal has thus far been rejected by the department.

Maintenance under the spotlight

• Of the 100 single and double units at Deneys Conradie Residentia, water leaks have been reported in every unit.

• Third floor resident, Peter, has reported water leaking from his light fitting for the past three months.
With the consent of the three residents that live below him, the 85-year-old closes the water mains outside his unit throughout the day.
“At a designated time, I place a bucket under the light fitting and open the mains in order for us all to be able to cook, bath and store water for the evening ahead,” he said.
“It is not a perfect solution but it prevents my unit from being flooded and my prized book collection from suffering further damage.”

• Rasheed has not had access to water in his first floor unit, since December.
His solar geyser apparently suffered at a leak at a connection fitting and this has cut off the water supply to his flat.
“I have to walk down the fire escape to the laundry to fill up buckets and bottles to perform daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning and bathing,” he said.
“This is laborious undertaking. I believe replacing the fitting would be relatively inexpensive and installation is not that difficult. Why am I being fed empty promises?”

• Rotting and damp ceilings.

• Fire safety.
Firefighting equipment has not been serviced and fire escapes are rickety.

• Overhead concrete slabs are showing cracks with pieces that have fallen off.

• Lose and missing tiles on passage banisters.

• Broken windows.

• Non-functioning elevator.

• Ineffective security barriers.

• Leaking and blocked drains.

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“This is elderly abuse,” said Kanthan.

“Our complex is neat and tidy, because we contribute time, money and effort towards its upkeep.

“We pay our rent on time and ensure that our spaces are clean, we just need the metro to uphold its end of the bargain by ensuring that the facility is well maintained. Surely that is not too much to ask.”

The CoE was approached for comment but none was received at the time of publication.

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