Tsumeb’s unsafe old age home
Pensioners living at the Martin Shailemo old age home in Tsumeb are fearing for their lives as there is no security on site. They are also complaining about the poor quality meals despite paying a monthly rent fee.
The elderly citizens also complaint of the constant water leakages which they see as a health hazard.
Namibian Sun unearthed these challenges upon a recent visit to the facility where 9 pensioners are currently accommodated.
Six years ago, Namibian Sun exposed the dire situations elderly citizens who were accommodated at the facility had to endure and these challenges remain.
The facility belongs to the Tsumeb Municipality however it is run by a committee who are volunteering their services.
With no income for their work, the volunteers only benefit when a donor injects funds or donations towards the facility.
Neglected
Narrating their ordeal, Fritz Adams (54) who is partly blind, he told Namibian Sun that he has been staying at the facility for the past five years.
Adams said that facility lacks a proper management.
“There is no control at this place. It is called an old age home but it is not run like one. The only functioning department is the kitchen,” Adams said.
“First of all, when you entered you were supposed to be greeted by a security guard but there is nothing like that. People can come in here and do as they please. There is no one to defend us on site, we are on our own.”
According to Adams, in 2019 the facility had 24 occupants however that number reduced to 9 because the elderly could not afford the N$400 monthly fee.
He revealed that those who do not pay the N$400, they are excluded from benefiting when the centre receives donations.
Bad food
Adams went onto say that they receive two meals per day which is bread for breakfast and ‘sop bene’ (Soup bones) and porridge for lunch.
However he complaint about the quality of the food saying that the some of the occupants don’t eat the food because it is not well prepared.
“The food is not well prepared. Some of us we don’t have strong teeth and we cannot eat that food. We literally have to throw away the food. We are paying for food that we don’t even eat,” Adams said.
Adams said they complaint about the quality of the food for years but nothing has changed.
Maintenance
Adams said that facility has a problem of water leakages which Namibian Sun observed on a tour of the facility.
“Water leakages is our nightmare here. Taps are running and drainage pipes are leaking. If you go in some of the toilets you will see how bad the situation is. Hence if there was a proper management on site, some of these things would have been addressed,” he said.
Due to the lack of a security guard, Adams said that community members rock up at the facility and collect water.
The facility also has mango trees which attracts community members.
“People from the community come here and they fetch water as they wish,” he said.
“We have mango trees here and people children do come here uninvited and start climbing on the trees for the fruit. We are old and we cannot do anything to stop them.”
Council response
When contacted for comment, Tsumeb municipality spokesperson, Stella Imalwa-Nangolo said that the issue of the facility having no security is due to financial resources.
“We acknowledge that the place does not have a security guard and this is due to the limited financial resources the council has,” she said.
She however indicated that council is looking at ways to incorporate additional security in its budget in order for a security guard to be deployed at the facility.
In terms of the maintenance of the facility, Imalwa-Nangolo said that council employees do respond when issues are reported.
Imalwa-Nangolo further went onto explain that the committee that run’s the facility are volunteering their services and that they try to treat the occupants of the facility to the best of their ability.
“Mind you these people are volunteering their services. They don’t get anything from council. There will be challenges here and there but they are really doing the best they can,” she said.
Both Adams and Imalwa-Nangolo called upon good Samaritans to assist the facility.
[email protected]
The elderly citizens also complaint of the constant water leakages which they see as a health hazard.
Namibian Sun unearthed these challenges upon a recent visit to the facility where 9 pensioners are currently accommodated.
Six years ago, Namibian Sun exposed the dire situations elderly citizens who were accommodated at the facility had to endure and these challenges remain.
The facility belongs to the Tsumeb Municipality however it is run by a committee who are volunteering their services.
With no income for their work, the volunteers only benefit when a donor injects funds or donations towards the facility.
Neglected
Narrating their ordeal, Fritz Adams (54) who is partly blind, he told Namibian Sun that he has been staying at the facility for the past five years.
Adams said that facility lacks a proper management.
“There is no control at this place. It is called an old age home but it is not run like one. The only functioning department is the kitchen,” Adams said.
“First of all, when you entered you were supposed to be greeted by a security guard but there is nothing like that. People can come in here and do as they please. There is no one to defend us on site, we are on our own.”
According to Adams, in 2019 the facility had 24 occupants however that number reduced to 9 because the elderly could not afford the N$400 monthly fee.
He revealed that those who do not pay the N$400, they are excluded from benefiting when the centre receives donations.
Bad food
Adams went onto say that they receive two meals per day which is bread for breakfast and ‘sop bene’ (Soup bones) and porridge for lunch.
However he complaint about the quality of the food saying that the some of the occupants don’t eat the food because it is not well prepared.
“The food is not well prepared. Some of us we don’t have strong teeth and we cannot eat that food. We literally have to throw away the food. We are paying for food that we don’t even eat,” Adams said.
Adams said they complaint about the quality of the food for years but nothing has changed.
Maintenance
Adams said that facility has a problem of water leakages which Namibian Sun observed on a tour of the facility.
“Water leakages is our nightmare here. Taps are running and drainage pipes are leaking. If you go in some of the toilets you will see how bad the situation is. Hence if there was a proper management on site, some of these things would have been addressed,” he said.
Due to the lack of a security guard, Adams said that community members rock up at the facility and collect water.
The facility also has mango trees which attracts community members.
“People from the community come here and they fetch water as they wish,” he said.
“We have mango trees here and people children do come here uninvited and start climbing on the trees for the fruit. We are old and we cannot do anything to stop them.”
Council response
When contacted for comment, Tsumeb municipality spokesperson, Stella Imalwa-Nangolo said that the issue of the facility having no security is due to financial resources.
“We acknowledge that the place does not have a security guard and this is due to the limited financial resources the council has,” she said.
She however indicated that council is looking at ways to incorporate additional security in its budget in order for a security guard to be deployed at the facility.
In terms of the maintenance of the facility, Imalwa-Nangolo said that council employees do respond when issues are reported.
Imalwa-Nangolo further went onto explain that the committee that run’s the facility are volunteering their services and that they try to treat the occupants of the facility to the best of their ability.
“Mind you these people are volunteering their services. They don’t get anything from council. There will be challenges here and there but they are really doing the best they can,” she said.
Both Adams and Imalwa-Nangolo called upon good Samaritans to assist the facility.
[email protected]
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