ERMELO – A response from the legal team representing SAVF Huis Ermelo has not shed any further light on several allegations made against the facility.

Highvelder published a comprehensive article on this old age home that offers housing for the aged and frail, “SAVF responds to allegations”, on April 19.

More allegations surface by former employees and family members

More allegations ranging from mismanagement to mistreatment of residents and misuse of donations have now been made by former employees and family members of elderly people who are in the care of Huis Ermelo.

The establishment’s attorney-supplied responses denied all allegations and held that its processes meet legal and regulatory requirements.

However, law firm Van Rensburg, Koen & Baloyi did not provide detailed explanations as requested by Highvelder, citing privacy concerns.

Former employees cry fowl

Former employees told Highvelder they had resigned from Huis Ermelo based on complaints against the manager, Waldi Sieberhagen, that remained unresolved. In response to this, Van Rensburg, Koen & Baloyi said all resignations were handled in adherence to HR processes and South African laws and by-laws.

“Exit interview documents were offered to all employees and completed documents were submitted to the SAVF’s national head of HR. In line with South African laws and by-laws and the Popi Act, employee/employer information must be handled with the necessary confidentiality. Information about employees’ decisions leading to their resignation or the employer’s decision regarding the dismissal of an employee is handled within these legal guidelines.”

They further said the SAVF has grievance and complaint policies, and that Huis Ermelo could find no records of any grievances or complaints submitted by those employees who had resigned in respect to the complaints.

However, Highvelder followed up with the former vice chairperson of service management and project manager of the roof project, George Kleinhans, as well as a former handyman, Wicus Havenga, who denied ever receiving or completing any exit interview documents. Both claimed their grievances had been aired, and they find it strange that no records of it could be found.

Kleinhans confirmed that he addressed his resignation letter to the CEO of SAVF, Adriaan Raubenheimer, and confirmed that his grievances were listed in it.

Havenga said Mari Louw, the regional manager, phoned him to enquire about his resignation in which he listed the grievances he had with the current manager, Waldi Sieberhagen.

He cited an instance in which Sieberhagen had assigned him a task beyond his scope of duties; he claims he had to transport a wheelchair-bound patient to the hospital in an unsafe vehicle.

Allegation of physical altercation between manager and staff member

An alleged physical altercation involving Sieberhagen and a former employee was captured on video, the footage of which Highvelder is in possession, and the matter was allegedly dealt with by paying a settlement. No disciplinary action was taken against anyone. The SAVF did not comment on the incident nor any other allegations in this regard.

ALSO READ: SAVF Huis Ermelo denies all allegations against it

Alleged decline in Alzheimer’s activities

A former matron and nurse, Santa van Schalkwyk, told Highvelder that Alzheimer’s patients’ engagement in stimulating activities such as art and dancing had declined since the onset of Covid-19, which according to her raises concerns about the quality of life and the effectiveness of care practices.

In their response, the attorneys said: “Anti-ageing programmes are implemented at SAVF Ermelo. SAVF Ermelo has continued with these programmes as per daily schedules and weekly programmes.”

One of these activities was colouring in, of which SAVF Huis Ermelo has shared a picture.

Shortly after the enquiry was sent, a Facebook post was published by Huis Ermelo with the description: “Sewing sessions such as the knitting corner form part of the SAVF’s programme to keep our residents’ fingers busy and promote concentration. It is with great gratitude that we can also observe our Alzheimer’s residents where they still enjoy their knitting.”

A family member of one of the residents, however, said these photos did not depict Alzheimer’s patients, but rather other residents of the old age home.

SAVF Huis Ermelo and their compliance with the Popi Act

A member of the public, Leah Nel, commented on the post and raised concerns about the use of these images.

She questioned the SAVF’s compliance with the Popi Act. In response, Huis Ermelo stated that all residents provide consent upon admission to the old age home.

Shortly thereafter, however, the residents’ faces were cropped out on that specific Facebook post, as well as an earlier post, and the comments made by Huis Ermelo and Nel were subsequently hidden or removed from the page.

The post is also in contradiction with posters that were recently put up by the SAVF, prohibiting people from taking photos or videos. Highvelder was told during its site visit on April 11 that the posters had been put up to avoid exposing people from the Alzheimer’s and frail care sections.

ALSO READ: SAVF Huis Ermelo: Families speak out after allegations surface

The attorneys also said: “This rule is also applicable to all SAVF facilities, as it is required in terms of the Popi Act. Ermelo is not the exception, but as indicated, it is standard procedure in SAVF. Managers are regularly reminded to ensure these signs are visible.”

Voice note before Highvelder’s site visit

Highvelder also came into possession of a voice note Louw intended to send Sieberhagen to inform her of Highvelder’s planned visit later that day, but she inadvertently sent it on the residents’ WhatsApp group.

SAVF’s attorneys requested Highvelder to visit the old age home before publishing the original article: SAVF Huis Ermelo denies all allegations against it.

In the message, Louw thanked Sieberhagen for her efforts to put up all these posters and asked for an additional sign indicating no entry due to the ongoing construction or maintenance.

Before she could delete the voice note from the group, a resident had already downloaded it and forwarded it to the publication.

Listen to the voice note below

Conduct questioned by former employee

Van Schalkwyk further criticised Huis Ermelo’s decision to dismiss her because she had turned 65, as she claims her position had been filled by a 72-year-old male nurse. Questions regarding this claim were put to Huis Ermelo, to which they did not respond.

Van Schalkwyk, who had formed close friendships and relationships with the residents in the frail care and Alzheimer’s sections, says she has been barred from the premises by Sieberhagen, who she claims said she did not see the point of Van Schalkwyk going there.

Despite requests from some family members who wanted her to visit their loved ones, as they said they were missing her, she was still not allowed.

Serious allegations levelled against SAVF Huis Ermelo

A serious concern raised about medication management was raised by Van Schalkwyk.

She claims the Alzheimer’s patients are administered medication to calm them down when they are either angry or a nuisance.

According to her, some personnel treat and view Alzheimer’s patients with disdain.

The SAVF has denied this. “Medication is monitored and managed as per the required regulatory guidelines. SAVF Ermelo only dispenses medication to residents according to their medical practitioners’ prescriptions. SAVF Ermelo does not offer or keep in stock scheduled medication.”

But Van Schalkwyk was adamant, and told Highvelder the medication had been kept in the storage room until recently, separately from the patients’ prescribed medication.

According to her, the medication was later moved to a medical room where “it was kept in a steel cabinet along with Panado and other pain medication in the bottom drawer.”

Claims that nurses would remove or place emergency buttons out of reach of patients, and sleep on duty, were denied by SAVF’s attorneys. “SAVF Ermelo’s nursing staff is monitored and managed in accordance to nursing regulations and disciplinary actions taken.”

Reports of mishandling incidents and a lack of accountability within the institution have also been made. In a signed affidavit, Van Schalkwyk claims that an Alzheimer’s patient was drenched with water and another patient roughly handled by a nurse.

She promptly requested video footage of the incident from Sieberhagen, and told the family to ask for it, too.

There was some initial uncertainty from Sieberhagen about how to access this footage, but it was eventually supplied. Van Schalkwyk stated that she insisted on being present during the review, but that Sieberhagen did not allow this.

Kleinhans, who is also familiar with the incident, said Sieberhagen had in fact escalated the matter, but the person responsible for investigating it apparently found that both the nurse and the Alzheimer’s patient were at fault, and no further actions were taken.

Donators halt donations to SAVF Huis Ermelo sighting lack of transparency

Meanwhile, two separate donators have halted all donations to the old age home. A meat donation received from Penny Coetzer of Penny’s Recycling is said to have gone rotten, and more than R10 000’s meat had to be disposed of.

Kleinhans said Sieberhagen had not declared this donation to the service management, who he claims dealt with all donations. “She stored it in the on-site freezer, and the freezer had malfunctioned.”

According to him, had they been informed of the donation, contingency plans could have been made, or the food could have been served to the residents before it had gone off.

The SAVF responded with: “Load-shedding had caused the walk-in freezer to malfunction in December 2022, and therefore perishable goods could not be served to residents.” It added that preventative measures have since been introduced.

Kobus Meyer of Two-line Trading said that over the span of about two years, they had made frequent food donations amounting up to R300 000.

However, upon inquiry into the use of his contributions, he discovered what he deems disconcerting practices.

“Despite the donations, residents were still required to pay for their meals, and the donated items were being sold at auctions.”

This prompted Meyer to question why the residents’ monthly expenses remained unaffected despite the provision of donated food. Furthermore, he found it perplexing that residents were charged for second helpings.

The SAVF responded: “SAVF Ermelo has been outsourcing the kitchen since 2022 to a commercial supplier that operates nationally in South Africa. Food expenses are included in the annual calculation of the residents’ fees. It is not a separate item on the residents’ monthly bill.”

According to them, Meyer’s donations were discontinued shortly after the outsourcing of the kitchen in 2022. The new manager was appointed in 2022.

Expressing his concerns, Meyer requested access to the financial statements for transparency and accountability.

However, he said Sieberhagen had directed him to attend the quarterly meetings in which financial matters would be discussed.

Without concrete documentation of their finances and what he deemed their lack of transparency, Meyer decided to cease his donations altogether.

This is a developing story. Highvelder will keep its readers updated as new information becomes available.