WATCH: Neglected and Unsafe: Crown Gardens senior citizens cry for help
Residents of Annie Burger Retirement Village live in terror as crime, neglect, and lawlessness take over their once-peaceful home.
Residents at the Annie Burger Retirement Village in Crown Gardens believe they are neglected and left to fend for themselves.
This comes after numerous calls for better service delivery and tight security in the village. They said maintenance of the place is poor, drugs, muggings, and robberies are at an alarming rate, and illegal people stay in some units, including children.
On March 17, they called a meeting that Ward 54 Clr Stuart Marais attended. He also conceded the neglect seniors had endured for a long time.
According to the residents, it is a mission to have the authorities in the village come and help with any maintenance.
@southern.courier Residents at the Annie Burger Retirement Village in Crown Gardens believe they are neglected and left to fend for themselves. This comes after numerous calls for better service delivery and tight security in the village. They said maintenance of the place is poor, drugs, muggings, and robberies are at an alarming rate, and illegal people stay in some units, including children. On March 17, they called a meeting that Ward 54 Clr Stuart Marais attended. He also conceded the neglect seniors had endured for a long time. According to the residents, it is a mission to have the authorities in the village come and help with any maintenance. Read full story on southerncourier.co.za
There’s constant pinching of water pipes, especially the brass one. They said they wake up in the morning and are welcomed by floods of water because vandals stole the pipes, even though there is security on site.
They mug the elderly residents and rob them of their money when they go to the nearby shops. One woman said while she was away, criminals ransacked her unit and stole two TVs, two jewellery boxes, clothes and shoes.
“Although one TV was recovered at one of the units, the suspects still roam here because there is an investigation ongoing. It’s been three months. My other TV is still missing and is in one of the units here,” she said.
There’s also a concern about young people, including children, staying in the village. It poses a threat and danger because some of them cause mayhem.
Clr Marias said he would invite MMC for Human Settlement Mlungisi Mabaso and other housing department officials to sort out the problems for the seniors. The meeting concluded with a suggestion that they must draft all their concerns and hand them to the councillor so he can give them to the officials.
In 2021, the Southern Courier published a story of a similar nature about the village, where resident Hennie Oosthuizen complained about drug addicts, theft, school-going children who are arrogant to elders, management that ignores the pleas of the residents and political parties that ignore them and make them feel they have no rights.
The residents said everything he complained about remains unattended, and it has been four years now.
The Southern Courier contacted Mabaso’s office. They promised to get back to us, but we are still waiting.
ALSO READ: Senior citizens need better treatment
