Last week members of the Plattekloof, Welgelegen, Panorama and Kleinbosch (PWP) Neighbourhood Watch escorted a wheelchair-bound pensioner from her home at a retirement village to a meeting she had to attend, stopping traffic all along the way.
Terry Swart, PWP-spokesperson, says Tannie Brenda Schwartz, as she is affectionately known, attended a meeting for Fontaine Bleau Retirement Village situated in Rothschild Boulevard, Welgelegen, at a nearby restaurant.
PWP patrollers escorted her from Fontaine Bleau to her meeting at Cafe Chameleon in Plattekloof on Thursday night, Swart says. A number of neighbourhood watch vehicles and a bike with flashing lights also escorted her back home later that evening.
The meeting was the first annual meeting of the body corporate management committee for the year which is always held at the restaurant.
“They approached our neighbourhood watch and asked us to help again. We help them everyyear, although last year and the year before they did not have a meeting because of Covid-19.
“We meet her at the retirement village and walk with her through the traffic. We block the whole lane of Rothschild Boulevard, and over Plattekloof Road, stopping the traffic so that she can move with her wheelchair.
“It is the only time she actually gets out,” says Swart.
The meeting started at 18:00 and ended at 22:00.
“After the meeting I will get a call again, we will go and fetch her and walk down with her again, with our vehicle’s lights on,” says Swart.
Excelda Petrie, office administrator at the Fontaine Bleau Retirement Village, says it is fantastic and absolutely unbelievable what PWP does for Tannie Brenda.
“Brenda also only has the highest appreciation for their friendliness and helpfulness. It is commendable and wonderful what they are doing,” Petrie says.
Brenda is a member of the body corporate management committee at the retirement village and was attending their annual meeting on Thursday, she confirmed.
“January each year we have a meeting of the management committee at Café Chameleon’s boardroom,” Petrie says.
Brenda, a paraplegic who has to make use of a motorised wheelchair, could not attend at first because Dial-a-Ride do not do night time leisurely rides, says Petrie.
“So she could not attend. I had a contact at PWP and he has since left, but he said that I should speak to Terry Swart. For the last two to three years I have been calling her. It is absolutely amazing what they are doing, they do not hesitate and are always on time,” says Petrie.
Brenda is unable to manoeuvre her wheelchair on the pavement due to the street light poles.
“The poles are in the middle of the pavement, so they have to escort her on the road, right up through Rothschild Boulevard, across Plattekloof Road right up to the shopping village,” Petrie explains.
She adds: “This is really caring for the elderly and the disabled. This is commendable, something that goes way beyond their call of duty. And they do it with friendliness and compassion.”
Swart says PWP does the favour for Tannie Brenda who always appear appreciative that she can get out.
“It is just one good thing that we do for the community,” concluded Swart.
