Silwerkroon residents frustrated with host of problems

Silwerkroon retirement centre residents have grown increasingly frustrated with the gradual decay of services there.

The most urgent issue is the constant water leak that has flooded parts of Booysen Street opposite the centre.

According to resident Loffie Minnaar the issue has been persisting for three years and the Tshwane department of human settlements hasn’t taken any steps to fix the issue, despite numerous complaints.

“I have been reporting these issues for three years and the department couldn’t care less.

“They say they will send someone but nobody ever shows up,” said Minnaar.

“It has spilled out into the street and it looks terrible and it can become dangerous for cars and pedestrians.”

One resident said the leak has resulted in a decrease in water pressure which makes it difficult for some residents to bathe or use other amenities that require water.

“We have residents who are really struggling because of this.

“If you have elderly people who can’t bathe or use the sink then we can have major problems here, especially when it gets colder in winter,” the resident said.

Minnaar said some residents are unable to use their sinks and bathrooms.

Another issue that has residents very worried is that fire hoses and extinguishers are no longer functional.

Due to the low water pressure, the fire hoses are not capable of dousing a fire.

When Minnaar turned the hope tap on to demonstrate, the hope leaked at the base and no water came out the nozzle.

“What happens if a fire breaks out here?

“It will be a complete disaster because nobody here will be able to do anything.”

The fire extinguishers have not been replaced or maintained for at least a year, claimed Minnaar.

A pile of rubbish has been left outside a unit that was renovated.

The pile has become an eyesore for residents with many saying that it further goes to show that the department does not care about them.

“They just leave it here and expect us to live with it.

“This place is decaying every day and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

Minnaar said “Silwerkroon was once a nice place to live in and a place residents could feel proud of”.

But now they feel unsafe and their complaints are falling on deaf ears.

“Life in here is going to become unbearable if things continue in this trajectory,” said Minnaar.

“People are going to start moving out if it doesn’t get better.”

Some safety concerns have also come up.

The gates at the rear of the complex have been welded shut to avoid break-ins.

Although residents are thankful of this, they say it restricts access to the complex.

“If someone has an emergency here and they need an ambulance, they will only have the main entrance to come through,” said Minnaar.

“This becomes a problem when you take into account how big this complex is.

“If someone in a unit way at the back has a problem, they will have to wait for the paramedics and they will have to travel on a stretcher for a long distance on uneven pavement.”

The situation will be even worse when a fire breaks out, bemoaned Minnaar.

Another safety concern is the windows on some of the doors that have started to crack.

According to Minnaar this is not the correct type of glass and it could break when the door is slammed, posing further danger to residents.

Over the years, many of the centre’s dustbins have gone missing and the department has failed to replace any of them.

Minnaar said the existing dustbins cannot possibly contain all the refuse produced by residents and fears the problem will only get worse over time.

Comment from the metro will be published as soon as it is received.

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