The City of Ekurhuleni says refurbishment work on the seven vacant flats at Silwerkroon Old Age Home in Alberton is expected to begin early in 2026, following prolonged delays that have frustrated residents and ward leadership. This comes after the Alberton Record requested an update from the city regarding the long-standing vacancies and deteriorating conditions at the facility. According to city spokesperson Zweli Dlamini, the flats have remained unoccupied because they require refurbishment before being allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
“The vacant flats at Silwerkroon Old Age Home have remained unoccupied because they require refurbishment before they can be allocated to applicants on the waiting list. “The Human Settlements Department is attending to the issue,” said Dlamini. He said the department is in the process of appointing a new contractor through the EPMO panel, with the procurement process currently at an advanced stage.
“If all the required processes go well, it is anticipated that the contractors will be in place in January 2026, and then the Department will finalise the process of issuing service request orders and instructions to perform work in February 2026,” Dlamini said. He added that refurbishment work is expected to resume at the end of February or the beginning of March 2026. The update follows ongoing concerns raised by residents and Ward 106 Councillor Tim Denny, who have criticised the delays, saying the situation has left elderly residents living in poor conditions while vacant flats remain unused.
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Reacting to the city’s latest response, Denny said the continued delays were unacceptable. “There is no valid reason for this delay. Elderly people need to be treated with far more respect than this. “I will continue to challenge the MMC in council in January,” said Denny.
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