Cape Town - A manhunt is on for heartless suspects who broke into an old age home in Bonteheuwel and vandalised a community hall used by the pensioners.
Ward councillor Angus McKenzie says the burglars stole various items from Apricot Place Old Age Home, damaged toilets and stole a geyser on Monday night.
Caretaker Hester Kuhn says she got a fright on Tuesday when she saw water coming from the hall used by the seniors to socialise and host meetings.
“I came here past 6am and just saw the water running. They stole all the taps and stuff and the whole place flooded,” she says.
McKenzie says the alarm box was ripped open and the alarm deactivated.
“The biggest problem is that there is no sign of forced entry to the hall, but there is a gap in the fence where we can see they came through. The police were called but they never came into the property.”
Residents living at the home told the Daily Voice that they now feel unsafe knowing suspects can access the property.
Residents living at Apricot Place home said they feel unsafe. Picture: Daily Voice
Grandmother Khulsoem Gamieldien, 73, says she blames Kuhn for not ensuring that the door was locked.
“Sy lieg man, sy het nie die deur gesluit nie. Nou kom die gangsters hier in. (She is lying, she did not lock the door. Now the gangsters are coming in.) It’s not safe for us here,” she says.
Kuhn, however, insists she locked the hall.
The home, run by the City of Cape Town, is for pensioners who receive state pensions and do not have relatives they can live with.
In December the home underwent a R2 million revamp.
McKenzie says they are now calling on the community to come forward to help him “find the varke responsible”.
“At the end of the day, they stole from pensioners. I am calling on Bonteheuwel residents to come forward and help identify the varke who damaged the facility. We all know it is probably tikkoppe (meth addicts), but there is someone out there with the geyser and we will find them.”
Anyone with information is asked to call McKenzie on 082 444 1850.