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TAKALANI HOME RUNS ON EMPTY

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An empty fridge at Takalani during an inspection by the DA’s Jack Bloom.    Photo by Collen Mashaba
An empty fridge at Takalani during an inspection by the DA’s Jack Bloom. Photo by Collen Mashaba

TAKALANI Home for the mentally ill is under new management – but the struggle continues.

It’s almost out of food and the home has not received its subsidy of R4 800 per patient.

Director of Takalani Judgement Gumede said during DA member Jack Bloom’s visit on Tuesday the Gauteng Health Department has not finalised the Service Level Agreement.

Seven board members were appointed last December to provide better services.

The NGO is a home to 58 patients, mostly children with extreme or severe intellectual disability.

Gumede said when new management came into effect, some members were fired.

Others left voluntarily.

He said they relied on local business and generous community members for food, but due to the bad reputation the NGO gained during the Life Esidimeni saga, potential donors won’t help.

Gumede said the previous administration received millions in donations from government and the private sector, but R40 million is unaccounted for.

According to evidence at the Esidimeni hearings, patients at Takalani died because of, among other things, neglect and lack of food.

Health ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba ordered that the NGO and another, operating under the same licence in Krugersdorp, be closed down.

But the homes appealed the decision and won.

At the time of going to print, the department had not responded to an inquiry sent to them.

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