Johannesburg - The Democratic Alliance said on Wednesday conditions at the Elonwabeni Old Age Home in KwaZulu-Natal are so dire that it had reported the matter to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).
“Residents, one of whom is 100 years old, also have to bath in cold water when the home doesn’t buy electricity,” DA spokeswoman Sharon Hoosen said after the party visited the home on Tuesday.
“It was found that the facility’s 67 elderly residents were currently reliant on local farmers and businesses for food donations. Their last meal supplied by the home was breakfast on Friday last week. Since then they have been completely reliant on the kindness of others.”
Appalling conditions found at KZN Elonwabeni Old Age Home. Picture:Supplied
Hoosen added that no maintenance was being performed at the home.
"None of the toilets have seats, while several do not flush," she said.
The DA said to make matters worse, 41 staff members have not been paid since mid-July, and it had written to the SAHRC to alert them to what it found at Elonwabeni.