A decent roof now over his head
Sixty-five-year-old Clyde lived in an open garage for over 15 years hoping to be allocated to a flat.
FRIDAY, September 2, marked 65-year-old Clyde Grunewald’s most exciting day in a long time as he moved into a flat after being homeless and hopeless for 16 years.
Clyde could not stop his tears of joy when DA Ward 57 Clr Faaeza Chame told him the great news that he would be allocated to a flat at the Moffatview Old Age Home, where he would live among other senior citizens.
Shortly after Chame was voted in as the new DA ward councillor, she was introduced to Clyde by locals who were worried about an elderly man living in an open garage near a skip bin, experiencing one cold winter after another in an impoverished community.
Clyde not only had to ask to use the bathroom from neighbours but also slept with one eye open as he was worried about youngsters who would steal his belongings.
Today, Clyde experienced buying electricity with his own pension money for the first time and had to make some small life adjustments as he was used to putting his food in two litre ice cream containers. He was very excited to show-off to the COURIER team that he was donated a freezer, a microwave and a four plate stove by people from WhatsApp groups Chame is part of. Chame used this app to ask people to help Clyde. Clyde finds a great deal of joy from a brand new double bed that was donated to him when he moved by people who lended a helping hand when Chame asked.
“I am really really happy and grateful to Chame and her team, the COURIER and all the members of the community. ‘Ndoda ya kithi’ [my brother] I burst out in tears when Chame gave me the news that I would be staying here in Moffatview because it is just a few streets from where I was living. I am so happy, I cannot even find my way on this new double bed, I sleep on the one side close to the wall but find myself falling off the bed,” said an emotional Clyde who was smiling, laughing and crying all at the same time.
Clyde was welcomed to the home by fellow elderly Gloria Jasson (80), who feeds those who struggle at the home because she believes that if you can feed a dog, you can feed a fellow human being. Clyde is also thankful to other elderly citizens in the home including Andrew van der Merwe, who made him feel welcomed and at home as he is still trying to find a sense of belonging.
As soon as the DA won the Johannesburg Metropolitan City on the night of Monday, August 22, Chame was so excited that she pulled the COURIER reporters to the side during the inaugural meeting of council just to make a promise that, ‘that elderly man living in an open garage in the South Hills will finally get a place to stay’.
She added that, “I have been given the run-around and fought hard with some people from the housing department about the story of Clyde but now that we are in charge much more will be possible.”
“Clyde wants to thank me but if you think about it I did nothing because all this was due to him. He deserves to be where he is today. I am very happy for him and I still wonder why this became possible as soon as the DA won Johannesburg. But otherwise there is still much to be done because his flat still needs to be painted and tiled and does not have a proper lock as it locks with a chain. And we hope that now all the old age homes will be maintained in a much more efficient and effective way unlike before,” said Chame.
The Southern COURIER has followed Clyde’s story since 2015 and revived the story again in 2016 as the old man was still not allocated a home despite promises made.
Anyone wishing to donate anything to Clyde can contact his friend Andrew van der Merwe on 071 524 8087.
Read previous stories and view videos about this story here:
15 years living in an open garage
65-year-old homeless man still waiting
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