Old Age Home Hell Hole To Be Shut Down  

Old woman on wheelchair
every old age home must be registered with the Department of Social Development (photo: jcomp/Freepik)
Old woman on wheelchair
every old age home must be registered with the Department of Social Development (photo: jcomp/Freepik)

The Limpopo Department of Social Development (DSD) has started moving residents out of the troubled Vutlhari Old Age Home and Hospice in the village of Roerfontein in Greater Letaba Local Municipality.   

This follows a visit by social development MEC Florence Radzilani on Wednesday, who says the centre does not comply with the Older Persons Act, is operating illegally and must be shut down. 

The Act stipulates that every old age home must be registered with the Department of Social Development (DSD) regardless of who owns and operates it.  

Radzilani says this is not the first time the centre was found to be violating the law. Ten years ago Pheko Baloyi, the founder of the facility, submitted a registration application. It was rejected because Vutlhari didn’t meet the requirements.  

Despite this, the centre continued operating, with no inspections from DSD to ensure it had ceased operations. 

“In 2014 social workers visited the centre and it was found to be non-compliant and it was recommended that it should close. However, Baloyi continued to operate illegally. He is operating knowing exactly that he is violating the constitution of the republic and violating all the legislations in relation to the people who are housed here,” she says. 

Despite this, the centre continued operating, with no follow-up inspections from DSD to ensure it had ceased operations. 

This week’s visit to Vutlhari comes two weeks after Radzilani was denied access by Baloyi, following a tip-off from the Conty Lebepe Foundation, about the inhumane conditions the elderly were subjected to at the facility. Photos taken by the organisation showed elderly residents living in deplorable conditions,  sleeping on concrete floors and some patients covered in sores.

Serious violation of the legislation

Radzilani says there is nothing legitimate about the centre because even the signage outside is misleading. 

The signage reads [sic]: ‘Vutlhari Disability Centre was funded by Hon Pheko Baloyi on the 28-03-1998 at Mamaila Kolobetona. Officially opening by Hon Premier of Limpopo C.S Mathabatha. We follow footsteps of Mandela.’ 

“During the time Stan Mathabatha was not even the premier of the province. What about people who come here and are not from around when they see that the former premier opened a centre that is not compliant? What message are we sending to the people?,” says Radzilani.

Centre manager to be held accountable

Tlou Moabelo, chairperson of the Conty Lebepe Foundation tells Health-e News that Baloyi tried to cover his tracks by cleaning the place up ahead of the MEC’s visit. 

“However some patients are still covered in sores. There was a stinking smell at the centre and you could see that the patients were not happy. One patient said they are treated as if they are in prison,” she tells Health-e News. 

She says Baloyi could not furnish Radzilani with a register of the admitted patients, instead, they found a pile of identity documents.

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“He should be held responsible for all the deaths at the centre,” Moabelo says. 

An ex-employee told Health-e News this week that six people have died at the centre since she started working there in May this year. 

Baloyi showed no remorse at a media briefing outside the centre. He says people are dying in hospitals but that does not mean the hospitals should be closed. He says many people have died in road accidents but the “minister of roads” has not stopped the country from moving because life is controlled by God. 

“We are dealing with patients with mental health issues. These are mentally ill people who are always breaking stuff. They broke the TV that was donated to the centre and that front door. I have been to the department to get them to approve the place but that has not happened,” he says.

Government’s responsibility to rescue the patients

Radzilani has instructed social workers to get the details of all the people accommodated in the facility. 

“Baloyi also has to assist with the names of family members because failure to do so will lead us to taking other steps. I am still hopeful that we will work together to make sure that we address this challenge of subjecting human beings under such conditions. It’s uncalled for, we don’t even have other words to sugarcoat this,” she says. 

She says there are several centres around the province where the patients will be housed.

“At the moment the department is working at reuniting families. We will work with Baloyi to give us contact details of family members so that these vulnerable people can be taken out of this centre. This will continue until every patient has been removed from the centre,” she says. 

Radzilani says the department will take further steps after the investigations have been concluded.- Health-e News 

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