South Africa: Sick, Elderly at Frail Care Forced to Go Without Food

By Mawande Jack, the Herald Online 

South Africa

April 9, 2008

More than 100 sick, elderly patients have had to survive without food and other necessities for several days because of alleged serious financial mismanagement of the state-subsidised Gelvan Park Frail Care Centre.
Patients were allegedly deprived of food despite deductions of 80 per cent from their pensions each month.

Some of the volunteers who work at the centre have dug into their own pockets to buy residents milk and sugar which could not be provided by the institution.

This week the frail care centre management clashed with its nursing staff and care-givers who threatened to go on strike after the institution failed to pay them their March salaries.

About 50 staff members employed in the institution claim that their working conditions were appalling, they were paid low salaries and that the place was seriously understaffed.

Since January this year the frail care centre has lost about eight drivers, who resigned as they could no longer bear the conditions.

Centre manager Timothy Hendrik has refused to comment on the allegations.
The provincial social development department this week threatened to withdraw its financial aid to the centre, whose finances it said were a “complete mess”.

Department spokesman Gcobani Maswana said the centre management had failed to provide Bisho with audited financial statements, a service level agreement and had submitted the claim for a subsidy late.

“If they fail to produce these documents the funds could be withdrawn. But we are still giving them time to do so” Maswana said.

An inspection to determine the extent of the crisis is being planned by the department. Maswana said an investigation similar to the one conducted at the House on the Rock in East London in which about 60 children were found to be subjected to neglect, unhygienic conditions and abuse would be done.
Former staff and volunteers there said thirsty children had had to drink water from dirty toilet bowls.

The scandal prompted the department to shut down the institution and sack its managers.

There has been a call by the Cosatu- affiliated Public and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (Pawusa) for the government to launch a probe of the alleged financial irregularities of the Gelvan Park centre.

Union spokesman Michael Mitchell said the union had uncovered a host of irregularities including staff pension deductions not being paid to insurance companies and union subscription deductions not reaching the union.

He also mentioned instances of the patients being ordered to pay an extra R30 a month for clothes to be purchased for them.

“The elderly are not getting returns for the deductions made,” Mitchell said.
The centre‘s board chairman, Lawrence Troon, has promised to pay the staff today from money the institution has borrowed elsewhere.

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