Sluggish help for ill and exhausted woman
An ill 70-year-old woman hardly got time to sleep as she had to be awake to empty a bucket that fills up from a massive leak in her small unit.
THE COURIER team experienced what could be the saddest story in any old age home as a 70-year-old ill woman was found exhausted and with a black eye she sustained after falling on the wet floor in her flat.
She spent a night replacing a bucket full of water with a pot to try and keep her unit dry from water pouring through a leak in the ceiling.
On arrival, the COURIER found Patricia Kotze waiting for the bucket to fill up so she could switch it with a pot and then empty the bucket outside so she could queue it again. Her hair was wet because this was no normal leak, it was as if the water was coming out of an opened tap. Her cushions, carpets and some of her clothes were wet too. She could not keep up with the leaking water and she was exhausted and hungry.
“Please help me. Please do not leave me like this. I cannot put up with this anymore, I am so tired and I am so sick. I just came back from hospital for a hip replacement, I should not be dealing with this. But here I am, I hardly ever sleep and I have no one to help me,” said Kotze who kept passing out from exhaustion when talking to the COURIER team.
The Carrick Place Old Age Home resident said she phoned for help until she ran out of money from her meagre pension, and all she achieved were promises that the leak would be fixed. Even after the COURIER’s intervening on Tuesday, November 1, promises were made but by Friday morning, November 4, Kotze was still waiting for the leak to be fixed.
Ward 54 DA Clr Sergio dos Santo was informed of the elderly woman’s plight on Tuesday, November 1, and he made phone calls to the regional director at City of Joburg housing department, Moabi Pekane, and then informed the COURIER that he was promised help would come urgently.
By Wednesday, Kotze said some people came in the evening, had a look at the leak and then said they would have to buy a new geyser but that was the last she saw of them. She waited for them to return on Thursday morning but they did not show. “All I want is for them to fix the leak, I am so tired of this. I don’t even want another geyser, I just wanted them to fix the leak but they just left and I have to deal with this again,” said Kotze.
She said in the past two years, there has always been a few drops of water coming from the leaking geyser but it was nothing she couldn’t live with even though she always reported it. But on Friday, October 28, when she returned from hospital after having a hip replacement, she was shocked by the water pouring down from her bathroom ceiling.
Some of the elderly who watched as Kotze’s furniture was taken outside to dry said they were disappointed that there have not been any changes in the old age homes even after the DA’s takeover. It was clear they understood the DA administration had just taken over but they were frustrated and expected some sort of immediate change or progress with the old age homes because they know how deeply involved the DA has always been in helping to communicate the difficulties experienced by the elderly in the old age homes.
PR CLR Tyrell Meyers
The COURIER communicated with DA Ward 124 PR Clr Tyrell Meyers because he has always been known to fight for issues of the elderly and visit the homes. He said: “The MMC is aware of the issues. It seems Reuven is not the only old age home to experience decay. The MMC for Housing is attending a mayoral planning session for the next few days after which they plan to look into all homes with a formulated plan and way forward. Thank heavens. I have always advocated for a separate budget for old age homes, let’s see what comes out.” In addition to this, the city will also begin the process of re-absorbing municipal-owned entities which will include JOSHCO back into the Department of Housing. This will also be a big plus as they need to route out corruption.
Caretakers
One thing the COURIER learnt over the years dealing with these issues is that even the people in the caretaker offices are tired of reporting things and then to see no contractors come or be told that there are no contractors. One of the caretakers said even with the DA in control, the people who get these enquiries will still be the same people as before. She said those people are in the maintenance offices and do not see what they and the elderly see. The caretakers have always been afraid to talk to the media because they would get into trouble with their superiors. But as these complaints kept piling up, they ended up talking because they were tired of the elderly desperately attacking them. City of Johannesburg housing The City of Johannesburg’s housing department has been contacted for comment.
Follow-up
The COURIER is still waiting for someone, anyone to help Patricia, today is Tuesday, November 8, still no help. An update on this story will follow. Any person wishing to assist the woman is welcome to contact the COURIER.
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