By Toby Shapshak
Last week, the City of Joburg cut power and water at an old-age home due to a billing dispute. This week, they threatened another complex for the elderly.
It began when Randjes Estate in Highland was forced to pay over R7.8m to have essential services reconnected – despite the City’s director of credit management, Savuya Hansford, being aware of the dispute.
She led as many as 10 city vehicles and a JMPD police car in a show of force.
Emails seen by Scrolla.Africa reveal that she was aware of the dispute at Randjes but still endangered the welfare of nearly 400 elderly people, some of whom are on oxygen machines that require electricity.
On Wednesday, another retirement village – Elphin Lodge in nearby Lyndhurst – received the same heavy-handed treatment.
The facility run by Rand Aid has a similar dispute going back several years.
The complex manager, Helen Petrie, sent residents a note that “City Power has switched the Elphin Lodge power off. Water remains on.
“Our billing is paid each month but an amount dating back years which is in a legal dispute has prompted them to switch our power off.”
Petrie said Rand Aid has a court hearing later on Thursday afternoon.
“A court order in our favour will only be effected by City Power tomorrow (Thursday),” she wrote.
Email questions sent to Hansford last week have still not been responded to.
Further questions were sent about Elphin Lodge.
Disclosure: A member of Scrolla.Africa’s editorial staff lives at Elphin Lodge.
Pictured above: Elphin Lodge
