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VIDEO: A new chapter for Cosmos Old Age Home

Before this possible escape route, the centre had, over the past couple of years, been battling substantial financial losses.

November 2, 2024

Fanie Mthupha 2 minutes read

This is the management team tasked with breathing new life into the local branch of the SAVF. They are Maria Gaba, Susan Cilliers, Hester Smit, SAVF's Elize Gluwa, Zelma Coetzee, Pastor Estelle Cothill, Pastor Theuns Kruger, Deidre Coetzee and Riaan Gouws.

The Van Dyk Park-based Cosmos Old Age Home has recently merged with the Suid Afrikaanse Vroue Federasie (SAVF), a move described as a significant step towards preventing the centre from becoming defunct.

This was revealed on October 26 during a relaunch held just a few hours after the organisation held its 2023/24 AGM to table the centre’s state of affairs.
The amalgamation saw the facility changing its name to SAVF Cosmos.

Previously, Cosmos ordinarily operated and held its AGMs under the auspices of the Boksburg Society for the Aged.
However, the struggle to collect revenue which led to financial crisis, termination of service provider contracts and staff retrenchments, saw the centre flirting with the idea of becoming part of an organisation that has vast experience and a high level of skill in the sector.

Given its expertise in the field, SAVF was seen as the logical choice.
SAVF is a nationally registered welfare organisation that has been around for 120 years, serving communities and making a positive impact on the lives of children, families, and elderly citizens across the country.
SAVF Cosmos board member Rian Gouws, who was full of praise for the integration, hailed the change as a much-needed action towards improving the elderly care facility.

“We believe that through our partnership with SAVF, we are tapping into the expertise of 120 years within this sector. We hope that through their help and assistance, we will become a fully self-sustaining old age home for our members, and be able to give them the care and the nurture that they deserve.”
Gouws pointed out that SAVF has got 165 NGOs nationally of which 150 are facilities, and those facilities make up childcare, family and elderly care centres.

During the AGM, the board that will take the centre forward during the 2024/2025 financial year was announced.
Due to the integration and amalgamation taking place, it was resolved that the 2023/2024 management board should continue their work for the 2024/25 financial year, provided the persons in question are still available to continue breathing life into the now SAVF branch.

Also Read: Cosmos Old Age Home state of affairs discussed at AGM

At the AGM were SAVF Cosmos’ Susan Cilliers and Pastor Theuns Kruger.

Before this possible escape route, the centre had, over the past couple of years, been battling substantial financial losses, with a total of at least R3.3m loss faced in the 2022/23 financial year.
Despite the financial challenges over the years, the facility has been striving for the provision of quality care to its residents.