St Luke’s Home of Healing near KwaDukuza is facing a devastating funding cut, placing vulnerable residents and staff at risk.

The 81-year-old non-profit, which has provided housing and holistic care for the mentally and physically disabled since 1945, received formal notice on December 31 that its Service Level Agreement (SLA) and accompanying state subsidy will end on March 31.

The facility cares for 11 state-aided and 13 privately funded residents, each costing the home around R15 000 per month to care for. While most of the patients are disabled, they also accommodate a few elderly and frail individuals.

St Luke’s chairperson Lisa O’Mant said the decision will have heartbreaking consequences, particularly for long-term residents who have known the home as their only stable environment. She said the 11 state-aided residents – eight of whom live with cerebral palsy – will be removed by the state once the funding ends.

“It’s a sad situation we are in,” said O’Mant.

“Some of these residents have lived here for 20 years. They know their carers; it would be traumatic for them to relocate. Why take away our residents at all? The KZN Health department will still have to pay another facility.”

O’Mant said the Health department had provided no explanation for the decision and has not disclosed where the affected residents will be relocated. She added that previous funding cycles had been renewed without complication.

“The Health department told me our three-year cycle was over and that they were not renewing our subsidy. In the past, we would simply sign a new SLA for the next three-year period with no issues, but not now,” she said.

The impact extends beyond residents. According to O’Mant, up to half of the care home’s staff may lose their jobs, most of whom are single mothers.

“What will these carers do after they lose their jobs? I have to fight for my residents and my staff,” she said.

Efforts to obtain comment from the KZN Department of Health in Pietermaritzburg and iLembe were unsuccessful.

Those wishing to support St Luke’s can contact admin@stlukeshome.co.za.

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