DEAR Editor,-
The Democratic Alliance in KZN has formally written to KZN Social Development MEC Weziwe Thusi calling for urgent intervention following revelations that 11 elderly residents at Kokstad’s Elonwabeni Old Age Home have died since the beginning of the year.
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To make matters worse, the deceased’s funeral policies have lapsed, allegedly because of financial mismanagement by the home’s former board members.
The result is that the families of the deceased do not have funds to provide a decent burial for their loved ones.
This shocking information was passed onto the DA via an impeccable source within the community.
Last week I shared this information with the MEC during a telephone conversation, but it was apparent that she had no idea of the number of deaths or of the dire situation that continues to exist at this facility.
During a KZN Social Development portfolio committee in late September, it was also clear that her department’s HOD had no idea of the situation.
The question that must be asked is – how is this department being run?
It has been three months since the DA first inspected Elonwabeni and discovered that 67 elderly residents were living in crisis conditions.
Residents were completely reliant on local farmers and businesses for food donations and had to bath in cold water when the home didn’t buy electricity.
Staff had not been paid while SASSA cards had been stolen and cashed out at various casinos amidst numerous claims of financial and other irregularities at the home.
During the inspection, the DA was also told that MEC Thusi was made aware of the problems when she visited Elonwabeni in January.
This visit was followed up by one from KZN Premier Willies Mchunu, who confirmed that the centre would not close and that issues regarding temporary management would be addressed by the department.
Despite these assurances, eight months after the MEC’s first visit, nothing has changed. The DA has been reliably informed that the very same issues we reported have still not been dealt with:
* The home still does not receive food supplies from the department;
* There is no electricity and no gas for cooking;
* Staff remain unpaid, and
* Issues around financial mismanagement and irregularities have still not been cleared up.
As if this was not enough, the alleged mismanagement remains unresolved, causing major suspicion around who is being protected in spite of corrupt and fraudulent activities at this centre.
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The DA has written to MEC Thusi about the plight of Elonwabeni’s residents three times. To date we are yet to receive any proper form of response to the correspondence.
The DA also wrote to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on the issue and awaits confirmation of an investigation.
It is clear that the MEC and her department’s priorities do not lie with the elderly residents of Elonwabeni.
That they have failed to intervene to date is unforgivable and smacks of the worst kind of apathy. In fact, the MEC appears alarmingly disconnected with the seriousness of this situation.
If the MEC will not act, then the premier must replace her with somebody who will.
For far too long, the failing ANC have deployed comrades who clearly do not have the interests of the people at heart into posts.
The DA will not allow this matter to rest until the human rights of Elonwabeni’s elderly residents are no longer being violated.
KZN is need of change that puts people first and treats them with dignity.
SHARON HOOSEN MPL
DA KZN Spokesperson on Social Development
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