“The office of the ombudsman is known as the office of last resort, but this time we are doing something special. We have taken it upon ourselves to investigate the conditions faced by the elderly at retirement villages,” said Advocate Siduduzo Gumede, the City’s Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman recently visited the Eeufees Oord Old Age Home in Westdene in Region B.

During the visit, the home’s residents raised some of their grievances, which include the lack of adequate security on the premises, structural problems with the housing units, electricity billing issues and challenges with illegal tenants living in the retirement village.

Some of the City of Joburg departments and entities such as Social Development, City Power, Revenue Services, Joburg Water and Pikitup had representatives on the day who responded to of the grievances.

The office of the Ombudsman also educated the elderly on how to lodge a complaint. It has offices in all the City’s seven regions. Resident of the city can lodge complaints by telephone, email or walk-in. The Ombudsman is the office of last instances, therefore complainants need to be first raised with the relevant City department before going to the Ombudsman.