• FOCUS Special

Empty units at old age homes still dilapidated

• 2 Weeks Ago - 2025-03-18 08:20:00

The Ministry of Health and Social Services has denied that unoccupied units in two state-run homes for the elderly in Windhoek have been empty for years.
The ministry was responding to the living conditions under which the elderly in Senior Park and Eastern Court suffer, with little to no maintenance being done by the state.
Currently, 14 units between the two homes are unoccupied – 11 at Senior Park and three at Eastern Court.
However, when contacted by Network Media Hub (NMH), the ministry denied that these units have been empty for years, saying they only became available for new tenants last year.
Senior Park, home to 154 residents, operates on a system where senior citizens pay 4% of their monthly income towards rent.
For pensioners who rely solely on the government’s pension grant of N$1 600, this means N$64 with an additional N$12.45 for water. Electricity bills, which range from N$400 to N$500 per month, are the tenant’s own responsibility.
The ministry bears the remaining operating costs, which vary between N$400 000 and N$600 000 per month.
The delay in placing new tenants is attributed to outstanding debts left by previous tenants who have either moved or died.
In some cases, the tenants have fallen behind on their rent and municipal bills, which the ministry says is leading to financial complications.
According to the ministry, debts were written off in 2023 and the placement of new tenants is underway. However, no timeline for this was provided to NMH.
Despite the explanations, frustration is growing daily among elderly persons waiting for housing. Several claimed they had already applied years ago and never received any feedback.
An elderly source who preferred to remain anonymous confirmed that residents at the nursing home are regularly approached by pensioners desperate for accommodation.
“They come here to ask if there is space, but all I can say is that they need to follow up with the ministry,” the source said.
Elsewhere
However, it is not just in the capital where state-run housing for the elderly is a problem. In Swakopmund, a resident of Welwitschia Park said residents are responsible for maintaining the houses. “Yet it remains closed and we are told people cannot live in it,” said Rita Bronkhorst.
“My brother has been on a waiting list for six years. Despite the fact that he offered to renovate one of the houses himself, he has still been rejected every time. In the meantime, houses are being allocated to those who bid first,” she said.
Brigitte Thaumüller, who collected rent at Senior Park and Eastern Court in Windhoek for more than 20 years until 2011, believes mismanagement is a core problem.
“Both places were in good condition until then. I think the officials responsible for allocating the houses are incompetent.
“A person I know was told that if she paid N$3 000, she would have a chance of getting a place. I reported it myself, but it may have just been swept under the rug,” she alleged.
Namibia has 17 private old age homes registered with the ministry and are located in Windhoek, Swakopmund, Keetmanshoop, Okahandja and Lüderitz, among others.
Seven state-run facilities focus on elderly residents with low incomes, including Senior Park, Eastern Court and also facilities in Outjo, Gobabis, Keetmanshoop and Swakopmund.
These homes for the elderly are managed in collaboration with the Ministry of Works and Transport, which has overall responsibility for maintenance and repairs.
The Ministry of Health acknowledged the need for urgent renovation and maintenance work at Senior Park, but said it falls under capital projects that are subject to budget allocations.