MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The Mossel Bay Advertiser has received complaints from the public regarding the running of senior citizen's complex, Benevolent Park, in Tarka.
Those who raised concerns did not wish to be named.
The gist of their complaints involve alleged lack of transparency, the constitution not being adhered to and correct procedures not being followed and the current acting centre manager wearing too many caps.
On 28 February a former bookkeeper of Benevolent Park is to appear in court in Mossel Bay in connection with about R800 000 going missing while she was employed there.
The Advertiser put the following questions to acting centre manager, Maevia du Plessis.
Q: Why has no one been appointed in [former centre manager] Johannah Joshua's place and the post not advertised yet, when she retired in November?
A: Because Mrs Joshua's resignation was very sudden, it came as a surprise to the board and because the holidays were at hand the board decided to postpone the advertising of the post.
I was asked to put certain things in place, because I was in this position previously and have all the experience of the post.
It was also decided because of the change in staff in the finance department that I would be the best person to oversee the process.
This is not a permanent position [for me] - two to three months at the most. It was decided to advertise the post in March 2018.
Q: Some people have said you are wearing too many hats at Benevolent Park - acting centre manager, chair of the finance committee, sitting on the governing body as the finance person. You are also on the fundraising committee. Can you comment on this? Isn't greater representation, with more people on the board, needed to ensure the best possible decision making?
A: Because it is not a permanent position [acting service centre manager], things will change back to normal with the appointment of the new service centre manager. We have 12 members on the governing body, with two vacant posts which will be filled in due course. A chairman conducts a meeting and has little say as decision making is done by the members present.
Q: What is the name of the person working in the place of the bookkeeper who left Benevolent Park and who is to appear in court on 28 February on a charge of about R800 000 in funds missing at Benevolent Park? What is the background of the person who was appointed to the position?
A: The person on trial left Benevolent Park in 2011. The two bookkeepers in the present posts are highly qualified and doing excellent work, with all the financial policies put in place by the governing body, to avoid a repetition of 2011.
Q: According to the constitution, board members must serve for two years and then another person must fill the role. People have said there have been board members in their positions for much longer than this - 23 years in one case. Comment on this.
A: We have our annual general meeting and new members are elected every second year. Very few people are willing to take on the responsibilities when it comes to positions on the board. Elections take place with secret ballot papers and if this member is nominated and elected so be it.
Note: It was put to Du Plessis that the Mossel Bay Advertiser would publish a notice for free that Benevolent Park is looking for new board members, because the seniors' complex it is a non-profit-making organisation. Du Plessis said she would put the idea of a notice in the newspaper to the board and ask if they would agree to this.
Q: It has been said the sick bay (frail care) is disorganised.
A: I am not aware of this. We were shorted staffed because of two people who resigned. The posts were advertised and were filled. One person can only start in March. We have two registered sisters on duty seven days a week, 12-hour shifts, plus the assistant nurses.
Q: There was a complaint that since you took over from Mrs Joshua, suddenly there are new electricians and other service providers being used, not the same ones as before and that you are doing things that suit you, not Benevolent Park as a whole.
A: The old service provider (electrician) was contacted in October 2017 for work at Benevolent Park but he never came. We are also looking out for companies with cheaper rates to save money and people that come when we need them. How can getting work done at a cheaper rate suit me, when we are saving Benevolent Park money in the long run?
Q: There have been allegations of a lack of transparency, not adhering to correct procedures and stakeholders in Benevolent Park not knowing what is going on - a lack of communication.
A: Not true. We have meetings all the time with residents (11 January 2018), staff (18 January 2018) and board (23 January 2018). A special meeting will be held in April in connection with the changes to the constitution. This will be advertised in due course.
Glynis Flores, the acting chair of the Benevolent Park governing body, told the Mossel Bay Advertiser:
"The board members are doing everything in their power. There is nothing wrong with this place.
"When we received your questions an ad hoc committee was called together to discuss them."
Du Plessis had also told the Advertiser she had an ad hoc committee that met should there be emergencies to be addressed and she had called a meeting.
Flores continued: "It seems some people are uncomfortable with the governing body's decision to have Mrs Du Plessis in control, but the post will be advertised mid-March.
"The next governing board meeting is in February. Mrs Du Plessis didn't want to apply for the job.
"The governing body asked her to act in the position until a new person is appointed."
ARTICLE: LINDA SPARG, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER JOURNALIST
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