EFF refurbishes Limpopo hospice, leaving elderly with tap water after years of struggles

Having a borehole in the water scarce rural village of Mapela in Limpopo is a saving grace for an old age home after years of water shortages.

The EFF refurbished the Mogalakwena hospice and rehabilitation centre last week and installed a borehole.

The centre’s manager Christinah Mokonyama told TimesLIVE for the past five years the centre relied on a communal tap for water supply which sometimes ran dry for days.

“The Mokopane region is a water scarce area and we sometimes go for days without water. We could spend about R2,000 a day buying water to ensure the 130 patients have water to bathe and drink medication and for us to cook. I am happy with what this party has done for us because we have our own tap water,” she said.

In 2015 Limpopo was among five provinces declared by government to be drought disaster areas.

Aside from the borehole, the EFF installed showers and safety rails on ramps, changed old doors and painted the shelters. Mokonyama said changes to the centre were important for her to obtain a private hospice license.

“I started this centre as an non-profit-organisation but in 2018 social development was not happy about the state of our infrastructure. So I built the shelters and made it a private organisation but it was not approved because we did not have running tap water and safety rails.

“After five years of struggling, we have all those things the government wanted and we will have the licence.”

EFF leader Julius Malema checks newly installed showers at the old age home. (EFF/ Twitter )

Mokonyama, a nurse by profession, said she was c running the centre with her NPO documents while awaiting a private hospice licence. She expected a visit from social development officials this week.

“Most of our challenges have been addressed. The only problem is not having bigger transportation to use for hospital check-ups. I hope that once we get the licence we will be able to request for a doctor or clinic bus to do check-ups from the centre because it is hard for elderly people to travel to the hospital,” Mokonyama said.

EFF leader Julius Malema committed the party would donate R100,000 to celebrate the life of 100-year-old Mmangwako Ramaphakela, who was one of the grannies who attended the event. The attendees sang for Ramaphakela andclapped.

Days later she passed away at the centre on her birthday.

Speaking about challenges, Malema urged management to request assistance from nearing mining companies in the Mokopane region for transport to medical check-ups.

Malema said more resources should be used to improve the living conditions of the elderly.

“We need to fight corruption and make sure every little resource is spent on these ordinary old men and women we are celebrating today. These are the people who should be benefiting 99.9% of the state resources and that money should not be feeding politicians and their families,” Malema said.