Kaya 959 Point of View with Phemelo Motene

Tembisa's elderly suffer after home closure

Loading player...
A R30m Tembisa Old Age Home that has been closed for the past five years
remains a white elephant while elderly people who are supposed to benefit from it
continue to live under unpalatable conditions nearby. The facility has remained
unused since 2019 after being shut down by the department of employment & labour
due to rezoning and structural issues, yet remains under guard 24/7. The issue of
Tembisa Old Age Home came to the fore at the Gauteng legislature when the DA's
Jade Miller asked the MEC for social development about old age homes that the
government had built but later closed without any indication of when they will be
reopened. Phemelo speaks to the DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Social
Development & Political Head for Tembisa, Refiloe Ntšekhe and we also get answers
from the Director Responsible for older persons with disabilities at the Gauteng
Social Development, Khanyisile Mathebula.
17 Jun 2025 4PM English South Africa Education · Careers

Other recent episodes

MK Party’s Bongani Baloyi eyes Joburg top job

Phemelo is joined by MK Party Johannesburg mayoral candidate Bongani Baloyi to unpack the party’s plans for the city. Baloyi became South Africa’s youngest executive mayor when he was appointed at 26 in 2013, serving as Midvaal mayor.
14 Sep 4PM 51 min

DALRO extends deadline for emerging visual artists

Emerging and developing South African visual artists now have until 18 September to apply for the 2026 DALRO Visual Arts Merit Award. The programme offers mentorship, professional development and residencies to help artists build sustainable careers, with 10 finalists set to be selected. Phemelo speaks to DALRO Managing Director Laz…
14 Sep 4PM 9 min

South Africans see stagnation, but young people still hold on to hope

South Africa’s latest Indlulamithi Barometer shows 72% of indicators point to continued economic stagnation, while younger South Africans remain more hopeful about the country’s future. The perception survey also found that 52% expect the country to move towards the Vulture Culture scenario, characterised by populist politics and state capture. Phemelo…
14 Sep 3PM 9 min

Missing runner Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo identified

The body of 38-year-old Elizabeth “Tsontso” Moselakgomo has been positively identified by her family, days after she went missing following a run in Rhodesfield, Kempton Park. Her death comes after five similar cases in and around Kempton Park, although police have not confirmed a connection. Phemelo speaks to Elizabeth’s uncle…
14 Sep 3PM 41 min

Milton Nkosi on Africa, Journalism and the Stories That Shaped Us

Phemelo is joined by award-winning journalist and former BBC Africa Bureau Editor Milton Nkosi. With more than three decades in journalism, Nkosi has reported on some of South Africa’s defining moments, from the final years of apartheid and Nelson Mandela’s release to the country’s first democratic elections. We reflect on…
10 Sep 3PM 42 min
All episodes