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SowetanLive reports that Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Bridget Masango has called for research to determine a fair minimum wage for employees in government-subsidised old age homes.
Masango’s call came after Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu revealed in a written reply to a parliamentary question that employees in government-subsidised old age homes in Mpumalanga received R2,700 a month, and that the last increase to subsidies was in April 2012. “Despite food and other necessary resources becoming ever more expensive, these crucial employees have had to desperately try to make ends meet a shrinking wage. Government-subsidised old age homes have also suffered from this stunted grant, making it increasingly difficult to provide quality care, nutrition and safe environments for the vulnerable elderly dependent on them. Many old age facilities and non-governmental organisations had to close their doors due to devastation funding cuts had on their budgets,” Masango indicated. She said the DA would submit more parliamentary questions to establish the standards set by the government for old age homes and the minimum requirement needed to get financial assistance. Zulu indicated that the department paid a monthly unit cost for each person at a home, but the stipend for employees was determined by the old age homes as the facilities were run independently and not by her department.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Penwell Dlamini at SowetanLive
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