Support for the forgotten elderly of Eeufees: the community comes together for basic dignity

Community · Westdene · 15 September 2026

Blankets, knitted clothing and familiar songs brought neighbours and residents together at Eeufees Oord in Westdene on 29 August. For a Saturday afternoon, the retirement village was a place to gather, sing and enjoy one another’s company.

Waydon Jacobs’s Northcliff Melville Times account of the day describes residents choosing donated items while local musician Mortimer Williams played. Some sang along; others joined the dancing.

The gathering brought together Friends of Eeufees, Westdene residents and businesses, and 3SA. Among those involved were Brian Smith, who assists at the village with his family and fellow volunteers, and Paul De Meillon of 3SA.

Their message was about the value of returning. Food parcels and blankets help with immediate needs. Conversation, time and dependable company also matter to people who can too easily disappear from a neighbourhood’s daily attention.

Giving what you can

Smith’s point, recorded in the local report, was that support need not begin with a large donation. People can offer time, practical skills or help with a particular task. Sitting down and listening can be a meaningful contribution in its own right.

De Meillon similarly encouraged people to use their time and abilities in service of their community. The day gave that invitation a visible form: neighbours organising, businesses contributing and older residents sharing an afternoon together.

The work extends beyond a single event. Friends of Eeufees describes continued involvement in maintenance projects, advocacy and companionship. It is that continuity which connects the celebration to a more difficult account of conditions inside the village. "Any assistance will be greatly appreciated, all donations are welcome, please help us uphold the dignity of our forgotten elderly!" Contact Mnr. Demillion from 3SA on +27 74 9382144

What the community audit recorded

A community-led audit summary dated 8 July 2026 lists 120 units. It records 71 as apparently occupied, 38 as empty and 11 that could not be fully checked because access was unavailable or the resident was out.

These are the community’s observations at that date. They are not a current municipal occupancy register or the results of a professional building inspection.

The summary records mould-related notes for 35 units; plumbing, drainage, leaks, geysers, toilets, sewerage or flooding concerns for about 52; and roof leaks or rainwater ingress for 27. Seventeen units had notes about locks, front doors or access.

Those categories can overlap. They should not be added together as a count of separate affected homes. They nevertheless describe a substantial list of concerns for qualified inspection and a maintenance response.

Residents also reported concerns about security provision and the operation of the gate. Those accounts need a current response from the responsible officials, rather than being treated as a confirmed description of staffing today.

Empty rooms and a practical proposal

The audit summary proposes starting with vacant units that appear to require less work. Its suggested sequence is to assess and repair suitable empty accommodation, arrange temporary moves for residents most affected by poor conditions, and then tackle the homes they have left.

That is a proposal for the estate’s managers to evaluate with residents. A flat that appears to need cleaning and paint still requires checks before anyone can call it safe to occupy. Allocation, accessibility and the wishes of the people moving also matter.

The value of the proposal is that it connects empty accommodation with a possible route to repairs. It gives the City something specific to assess, cost and answer.

The work beside the blankets

The community account also describes an Adopt-a-Light project, raising money for bulbs and day/night switches. Its purpose is straightforward: make the paths and shared spaces easier to navigate after dark.

The audit notes uneven paving and electrical concerns as well. Those jobs need the appropriate expertise. Volunteers can identify a problem and organise support; electrical faults and persistent water ingress require qualified attention.

Eeufees is described in the reporting as a City of Johannesburg Human Settlements estate for older people. Responsibility for the buildings does not disappear because neighbours have arrived with donations.

A useful next response would identify which reported problems have been inspected, what has already been repaired and when the remaining work will happen. Residents should be able to follow that progress without depending entirely on volunteers to chase each item.

The August gathering deserves to be remembered for the pleasure it brought. People were able to choose something warm, listen to music and spend time together. The audit deserves attention for a different reason: it records work the community believes still needs doing.

Both belong in the Eeufees story. The neighbours who brought the blankets have already shown that they care. They are asking for a village in which that care is matched by decent living conditions.

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