DA applauds Carte Blanche for highlighting broken lifts at Tweedy Park
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is delighted that, at long last, the elderly residents of Tweedy Park, in Brakpan, are being given the attention they deserve in resolving the matter of their broken-down lifts.
“Yesterday, members of the Carte Blanche television team visited the flats, which will, hopefully, force the Ekurhuleni Metro to take immediate corrective action,” said DA ward councillor Veronica Dyson.
(The Herald was not made aware of the fact that the Carte Blanche team was visiting the flats. This in spite of the fact that the Herald has reported on the situation on an ongoing basis, in an effort to get some sort of action from the Ekurhuleni Metro).
The saga began in early July, when the only functional lift at the eight-storey, council-owned Tweedy Park Flats stopped working, putting the safety of the elderly and infirm residents at risk.
“It took seven days before I was finally able to get any action out of the Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality (EMM) officials and have the lift repaired,” said Dyson.
Ten days later, on July 25, the one operational lift came to a permanent halt and has not worked since. The service elevator has not worked since 2011 and neither of the lifts has a maintenance contract in place with Otis, the manufacturer.
Last week, on September 11, the Herald printed an article in which the EMM’s spokesperson, Themba Gadebe, attributed the lift failing to cable theft.
“We are convinced that the cable theft was only possible after the lift had stopped working, as there was no power running through the cables making them easier to remove. I am of the opinion that the cause of the lift fault was because it had not been regularly maintained for several years,” said Dyson.
DA MP for Tsakane-Brakpan, Gordon Mackay, is shocked at the callous lack of attention by council.
He has written to both the Ministers of Social Development and Local Government, as well as the Human Rights Commission in this regard, demanding immediate action.
“Not only have residents on the top floors been unable to collect pensions and refill prescriptions themselves, but one woman who became ill had to be carried down the stairs, as the stretcher couldn’t fit around the stairwell corners. She later died in hospital,” added Dyson.
“Council-owned property should not be this poorly maintained and budget constraints should not see basic levels of safety ignored.
“The EMM has budgeted a measly R37-million for refurbishing rental stock, whereas just the replacement of these lifts is going to cost the EMM R1,6-million and that doesn’t take into account the many other problems in this building that need urgent attention, like the fire hydrants which have not been replaced since they were stolen in 2014,” said Dyson.
Also read:
Thief brought Tweedy Park lift to a halt
