Management of the Wheatlands Community Care for the Aged is urging the community to make donations to help the centre meet all health and safety requirements.

Founder of the centre, Pauline Mokae said they need at least R15 000.

Among the things we need are emergency lights for the centre, fire alarms, three basins, bags of cement, paint and shower curtains,” Pauline said.

She added that when the centre was started, they did some of the things, but they could not continue due to financial challenges.

“We do not get any financial assistance; our centre solely relies on the Sassa grants that our tenants receive. Our staff is not getting paid a salary. At times they only receive a small stipend,” Pauline said.

The other issue is that most of their tenants were homeless when they were taken in. “Therefore, we cannot ask members of their families to contributes towards these expenses, as they don’t have families,” Pauline added.