adminTHE roles and credentials of maids has once again come under the spotlight.
This follows a story we ran on Monday in which we reported the tragic case of an elderly Greendale woman who died alone at her home in an inferno.
The tragedy has generated a lot of debate on social media.
The 81-year-old granny died alone after her maid had left the house for prayers.
She didn’t get help when she needed it the most.
Her fate has proved that home-based care is a full-time job, which requires maids to be on high alert.
She was burnt beyond recognition.
Elderly people and young children need maximum care and support all the time.
Some neighbours confirmed they heard a fiery explosion but could not offer her some help.
Others blamed the cause of the fire on hanging power conductors near the granny’s home.
Experts are expected to tell us, after the investigations, as to what really happened and resulted in the inferno.
The correct position for now is that the cause of the fire is yet to be established.
Right now, the case which needs to be examined relates to the fate of the granny and whether or not she would have survived had she received help when the fire broke out.
If the maid, who was taking care of her was there, what would have been the chances for the old woman to survive?
Was it safe for the maid to leave her alone?
Where were other tenants/neighbours when the house fire broke out?
These are some of the questions many people on social media are debating about.
There are serious lessons we can draw from this case.
The elderly people, like young children, need maximum attention at home all the time.
In August last year, a Zimbabwean revealed how she emerged a heroine after saving Prince Harry’s son, Archie, when he narrowly escaped during a fire incident when the royals visited South Africa.
Merghan Markel opened up about the 2019 incident and how the “amazing” Zimbabwean nanny, only identified as Lauren, saved Archie.
Lauren was hailed for her swift reaction.
Those engaging people to take care of our elderly should rope in maids with a traceable history and background.
The Greendale maid could have played her part if she was around when the fire broke out at the house.
People taking care of the elderly as maids or home care workers should never underestimate their jobs.
Maids taking care of the elderly, or very young people, also need to be monitored.
In this era of technology, people can have gadgets which help them monitor the safety of their loved ones, especially the elderly or the young, from wherever they are.
It has become easy to trace what would be happening and take action as and when it’s needed.
It’s all about ensuring that the safety of those who need help, especially the young and elderly, is guaranteed.
Online Reporter