The Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development is disappointed by the action of Katlehong Old Age Home owners to operate illegally despite being officially closed down in December 2009.
The Department has recently established that the home ignored the instruction to close as department’s officials found four older persons residing at home.
Upon this discovery, the officials immediately contacted the families of the four older persons and removed them from the home. They have since been placed in other homes in Ekurhuleni.
The community is urged to refrain from admitting older persons at Katlehong Old Age Home since its certificate was withdrawn by the department due to its failure to comply with the norms and standards applicable to Older Persons’ residential facilities.
When the home was officially closed down in December 2009, officials removed 28 Older Persons from the facility and placed them at other old age homes. The residents and their families were informed of the reasons for their removal and placement and they supported the department’s action.
The reasons for closure were:
- poor financial management by the board, and the management board’s inability to attract donor funding to augment the departmental annual subsidy of R400 000. 00
- shortage of food and unhealthy living conditions. The home lacked basic necessities such as cleaning detergents, which threatened and compromised their well-being
- regular strikes by the staff as the board could not afford to pay them decent basic salaries.
The decision to close down the home was taken after several interventions by the department such as consultative meetings between departmental officials and the board. The Department also contracted Germiston Association for the Aged to mentor the board and administrative staff of the home between May 2008 and December 2009. Despite all these efforts, the situation did not improve.
The department has a constitutional, political and moral obligation to ensure that Older Persons are cared for in a manner that restores their dignity.
Enquiries:
Simon Zwane
Cell: 082 551 9892
