COMMUNITY PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT SECTION
Johannesburg Regional Office

1. Introduction
An article appeared in the newspaper Sunday Times (date unknown) in it was revealed that there were problems at a block of flats which housed older persons. It was reported that the building was dilapidated and that there was water leakages resulting in the collapse of the ceilings. The report confirmed that the building was managed by Johannesburg Metro Region 8. The Department of Social Development submitted a report to the MEC Social development in June 2006, after the regional and provincial office of Social Development conducted investigations. A meeting was arranged between the office of Local Government, Region 8 represented by Mrs Ramogase and Ms Dikeledi Mashego the social worker in the employ of Johannesburg Metro, responsible for the building and the Social Development officials Mrs. Tertia Banda, Ms Moabi and Ms Leonie Aggenbach on the 8 June 2006 and we report as follows.

2. Purpose
The purpose of the meeting was to investigate the present status of the building and to determine the position of the occupants in Casa Mia.

3. Registration of Casa Mia.

From the discussion it was evident that Local Government staff did not know about the registration of the Casa Mia as an old age home as they had no file or records. Mrs. Banda outlined the legal requirements for registration in terms of the Aged Persons Act and the Older Persons Bill which indicates that places caring for older persons will have to be registered.

4.Present status of Casa Mia's registration
Casa Mia is presently registered as a private assisted living facility, caring for Older Persons and registered with the Department of Social Development. The occupants pay rental to the Johannesburg Metro for the hire of the flat on a monthly basis. The facility has 128 residents. They receive a subsidy from the Johannesburg metro for meals and accommodation. The facility is run as a retirement village and has no frail care section. There is a manager who lives on the premises and there is a 24 hour security service. There is no nursing service. The facility does not comply with conditions of registration and they do not have a management committee who manages the facility.

5.Condition of the facility
In an on site inspection carried out by both Local government and Provincial government on the 8 June 2006 the following was identified as immediate refurbishment needs:

-Replacement of carpets
-Replacements of ceilings
-Replacement of doors
-Replacement of old water pipes

The Johannesburg metro has a preliminary design report (attached) which has outlined the repairs which must be undertaken on the building which was erected in 1940. The report was discussed on the 20 February 2006 by the Office of the Regional Manager and permission was given for the following work to be conducted at Casa Mia. These included:

-Replace pumps and piping (boiler room)
-Burglar proofing (ground and first floor)
-Burglar proofing( cottage and first Floor)
-Repair emergency exit steel staircase
-Distribution board repair
-Replacing heating elements

From this report the Johannesburg Metro, in their response to the Editor of the Star dated the 151 June 2006 stated that the following repairs had been completed, namely:

-Measures to safeguard the residents, including the provision of security personnel hired from a private security company on a 24 hour basis.
-Razor wire and burglar proofing have also been installed on the ground floor to eliminate unauthorized entry into the building.
-Emergency staircase, boiler room and water pumps were repaired as well.
-In the letter the Johannesburg metro conceded that the electrical and water reticulation system consistently fails. The stated that timeous plumbing repairs were continuously undertaken.

They also stated that the residents were responsible for the upkeep of their own flats which they were not doing and as a result there were foul smells emanating from the building. The Johannesburg metro attributed some of the problems to the residents refusing cleaning staff access to the flats.

6. Action plan
The following action plan was adopted:

1. Johannesburg Metro will have to make a decision about the de-registration of the facility.
2. If it decides upon that action and leads to the subsequent closure of Casa Mia, the province will give Johannesburg Metro, a period of six months to complete the task and to remove the residents.
3. Johannesburg Metro will have to write a letter requesting that Casa Mia be de-registered.
4. Johannesburg Metro will have to make a decision about the renovations and alterations of the buildings as the budget presented was extremely high.
5. The Regional Director Johannesburg Metro, Mrs Ramogase was to report to her managers and start the process i.e. de-registering the place and indicate what is to become of the residents.
6. If the decision was taken to de-register and close the facility and that the residents would have to relocate then the Gauteng Department of Social Development would have to assist the frail care residents with alternative placement.
7. That there would be follow up meetings with Johannesburg Metro Region 8 officials to follow up and access the progress made.

Ms M. A Moabi
9 June 2006