ORIELLE BERRY
The Sarepta AFM Home for the Aged is under investigation by the Department of Social Development, and the executive welfare board of the home has confirmed that it too, will be conducting its own independent investigation into complaints about the home.
In our article (“Elderly: seen but not heard,” Northern News, January 27) we reported on complaints levelled against the home and published in full the response by the matron, Susan La Poorta.
In a follow-up meeting with the residents who made the initial complaints, they maintained that the food, although it had improved, was still insufficient and lacked nutrition, and they contended that the service and maintenance at the home was poor.
Later in the same week, Christo Wort, one of the three men who drew our attention to the home, told Northern News an investigation team had come to the home on Thursday February 4. “They conducted private interviews with residents of the home and examined the home,” he said.
Sihle Ngobesi, spokesperson for Social Development MEC Albert Fritz, said, “There is an inquiry underway by the department. A monitoring and evaluation team was out at Sarepta at the end of last week”.
Irene Carrol, from NGO Age in Action, confirmed she had been approached by Mr Wort and that she had referred his complaints and concerns to the Department of Social Development.
Helena Jackson, director of the AFM (Apostolic Faith Mission) executive welfare council told Northern News on Friday in an email, “At the executive welfare board on February 3, the matter of your publications and complaints from residents was discussed, and it was decided that the executive welfare council will do their own investigation appointing people who are independent from the Sarepta Home. This will be done as soon as possible.”
