By Lesego Masemola and Graeme Hosken
'I give the assurance before God that the (Tumelong) Mission is not closing, that no one has been dismissed and that there is no threat to any of those we assist."
This was Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Pretoria Dr Joe Seoka's categorical assurance at the weekend when he rubbished reports that the Tumelong Mission's hospice and children's haven in Winterveld were no longer in operation.
But an on-site visit on Tuesday by the Pretoria News revealed the contrary - the two institutions have indeed been closed and abandoned.
The children's haven was empty, as was the 32-bed hospice that catered for HIV/Aids patients.
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The Tumelong Mission helped 1 000 destitute people every month.
On Tuesday, three staff members were on standby at the hospice, ready to turn patients away. The sick and dying were still streaming to the facility, unaware that its doors had been shut in February.
Among those affected by the closure is Alida Jafta, 68.
Partially blind, she has been forced to take care of her ill daughter, Anna Mathebula, who was previously cared for at the hospice.
"I now have to spend R40 for transport to get my daughter to hospital for check-ups, and I don't always have the money," said Jafta.
Efforts to get comment from Seoka on Tuesday were fruitless.
His secretary said he was in a conference and would only be available next Monday. She said Seoka was the only person authorised to speak on behalf of the church.
Seoka, Tumelong Mission's governing body chairperson, recently insisted both the hospice and haven were still open.
But according to documents in the Pretoria News' possession, all 70 employees have been retrenched.
Part of the retrenchment letter written to each employee reads: "Tumelong Mission relies on donation and grants, especially from the government, Lotto and major companies, to carry out its work.
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