The community and residents of Davies Court are disappointed that the bus used to transport the elderly weekly from the municipal apartments to the clinic, Evander Hospital and shops has been sold.

According to residents, the board of the non-profit company (NPC), Davieshof, sold the minibus and only informed residents afterwards.

The Ridge Times received numerous messages and phone calls from an upset community, asking how the elderly without transport are supposed to reach their much-needed destinations.

Encee van Huyssteen, chairperson of the board, said he needed to sell the bus to pay salaries to the nurse at the clinic at Davies Court, the cleaner and the shop assistant working in Davies Court’s second-hand shop.

There just was not enough money in Davieshof’s bank account. The bus was sold in January for R115 000.

Van Huyssteen also highlighted the difference between Davies Court and Davieshof, explaining that Davies Court refers to the physical building, including the flats where residents live.

ALSO READ: Undercover cop traps duo in taking bribe for traffic violations in Standerton

This building belongs to the Govan Mbeki Municipality and is a low-cost housing project. Residents rent the flats directly from the municipality, pay their rent to the municipality and the municipality is responsible for maintenance and repairs.

Davieshof was formed as an NPC by a group of Secunda residents who saw a need to support the residents of Davies Court.

The clinic was opened by Davieshof, but they use the Davies Court building, owned by the municipality, to run the clinic.

With the clinic, the then board of Davieshof also appointed a registered nursing sister, a secretary and a cleaner.

The second-hand shop was only opened in later years and currently has a full-time shop assistant.

Davies Court residents said that when the bus was bought in 2009, they launched several projects to raise the money.

ALSO READ: Standerton farm is transformed into elite K9 training hub for community safety

The Toyota Quantum 2.7 liter bus, which can carry 13 passengers, was bought from Secunda Toyota for R233 000.

The residents managed to collect R40 000 for the bus, and the remaining R186 000 was paid by a good Samaritan from the community who wanted to remain anonymous.

Secunda Toyota contributed R5 000 to have the Davieshof name on the bus. Secunda Toyota also sponsored R500 per month in fuel for the bus until the bus was sold.

Van Huyssteen said the Secunda Toyota management team is aware that he sold the bus and that they understood when he explained why he sold it.

He said residents did not contribute to the maintenance of the bus, the PDP driving licence, the driver, who has to be paid R100 every week when he drives the bus, or the vehicle insurance.

“None of the Davies Court residents contributes to the clinic and the sister’s salary that we need to pay monthly or the medication that residents get from the clinic,” said Van Huyssteen.

“We do get a R40 here or a R50 there from Davies Court residents, but it is not enough.”

Van Huyssteen said that in some weeks, only two or three residents would use the bus, and it was not cost-effective to keep it running.

“We also found out the bus was still in one of the previous secretaries’ Tina Mülke, who died in 2016’s name, so the bus stood for two months while we sorted that out and struggled to renew the licence.

“Residents at the time were able to go without the bus for the two months; why can they not get along without it now?” asked Van Huyssteen.

He said over the years, the sponsorships from the community and businesses to Davieshof declined.

According to Van Huyssteen, when he approached five well-known businessmen in Secunda to help, all of them said no because the residents of Davies Court are never satisfied.

He and another board member, Mariaan Chamberlain, offered to take residents to the clinic or to the shops, and while some residents accepted the offer, others refused a ride from the two board members.

“Davieshof was formed years ago to provide a medical service to the Davies Court residents, not to transport them to the shops,” said Van Huyssteen.

“The whole idea of Davieshof was to help the residents of Davies Court and transportation was never one of the main functions of the NPC.

“However, to deliver a medical service to residents is one of the priorities, which is why we would rather focus on that.”

He also explained that, as an NPC, the board is not obligated to meet with residents or to show its financial statements, except at the end of the financial year.

“What goes on at Davieshof, no input from Davies Court is needed,” said Van Huyssteen.

He also said Sars had not been paid accordingly, and Davieshof was behind on thousands in taxes. That also needed to be paid with the money generated from the sale of the bus.

“The money we received for the bus is also only going to last so long; we need at least R15 000 monthly to keep the clinic running and to pay salaries,” said Van Huyssteen.

ALSO READ: Young man from eMbalenhle cries for justice after tavern shooting case stalls

A Davies Court resident who wants to remain anonymous said it is sad that the bus, a lifeline for residents, was sold.

“We need to go to Evander Hospital or Secunda Clinic every six months to see the doctor and get medication. What are we going to do now with no bus?” asked the resident.

A few residents claim the bus’s expenses were not that much.

“Secunda Toyota sponsored R500 fuel each month and services were done by Secunda Toyota as well,” said a resident.

“We would have made a plan with the driver; we had someone willing to drive the bus each week at no cost.”

These residents want Van Huyssteen and Chamberlain off the board and said they already have replacements.

“We voted them in, why are we now not allowed to sit in at any meetings or vote them out?

“They are not fulfilling their duties to get sponsors, which form part of being the board of an NPC.

“They have not had any meetings where we were invited or informed and we are told it has nothing to do with us when we ask,” said a disgruntled resident.

These elderly people believe businesspeople do not want to get involved or help with sponsorship due to a lack of a business plan and budget.

“In the nearly three years that this new board was appointed, they did not get one new sponsorship,” said the resident.

• Story’s excerpt was amended to reflect both sides of the issue.