Cape Town - An investigation by the provincial Department of Social Development (DSD) has confirmed that the Langa Cheshire Home which caters for the physically disabled is in crisis after being mismanaged and has called for urgent action to be taken to protect residents
The investigation was conducted after complaints were received from residents and staff.
The investigators recommended, among other things, “that DSD acknowledges that Langa Cheshire Homes is in a dire financial crisis.”
They said that as such they proposed that the organisation be subsidised with a 25% administrative fee for a period of 12 months.
The probe found that the organisation struggled to fully meet requirements for nutritional meals as per the menu available in the kitchen.
They found that management had not been transparent about the challenges facing the facility’s operations.
The investigator’s report said, in part: “The residents complained in the presence of the manager that they do not know what the manager does with their money and donations as they do not benefit.”
Staff said that the reason for the organisation’s chaos is because the manager does not inform them on time when there are problems.
“Staff were also not provided with information on what is happening with their pension fund and UIF. They want answers.”
The department’s investigators contacted the Cheshire Homes provincial board chairperson Etienne Schlechter who told them that the provincial board was aware of most of the issues already and would be stepping in to take control of the home.
Since the investigation in October, a new board has been elected and it has accepted a request from the current manager who wants to retire in December 2022.
The issue of the home was raised in the legislature by Al Jama-Ah MPL Galil Brinkhuis who asked Social Development MEC Sharna Fernandez.
Fernandez promised: “The provincial board of Cheshire Homes South Africa, alongside the department, will provide assistance to deal with gaps in service delivery at the home and monitor progress on a regular basis.”
ANC provincial spokesperson on social development Gladys Bakubaku-Vos blamed the financial crisis at the institution on poor oversight on the part of the department.
She said the ANC had consistently raised the need for the department to improve its monitoring and evaluation capacity.
“The department must not simply pass the buck to the provincial board of Cheshire Homes, as it also has a responsibility to ensure the protection and well-being of the vulnerable persons with disabilities.”