Volunteers intervene at Huis Davidtsz
Updated | By Pieter van der Merwe
Chaos erupted at the old age home when staff embarked on a strike, leaving the elderly with no care.
Volunteers from Solidarity's Helping Hand has managed to stabilise the situation at Huis Davidtsz, amid a strike at the old age home.
Reports of horrific scenes surfaced on Friday as protesters allegedly prevented anyone from entering the building over a strike over an apparent lack of formal employment.
Helping Hand's Hannis Noeth says some of the elderly were unable to clean their own feces and urine while one man reported to have slept in his wheelchair as he had no one to help him.
Solidarity managed to obtain a court interdict against the strike on Thursday but volunteer staff still struggled to access Huis Davidtsz by Friday morning.
Nurses, volunteers, cooking staff and cleaners complained about not getting contracts, being underpaid and alleged racism towards staff and black patients.
Noeth meanwhile says the elderly were taken care of by Friday night with the situation stabilised by Saturday morning.
"The elderly cannot become the victims of wage disputes," says Noeth.
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