Making A Difference

In The Lives Of Intellectually And Mentally Challenged Adults

Retired luitenant-general Gerrie Bezuidenhout of the South African police service, and his wife Isabella are the proud parents of three mentally challenged adults. During 1994 the family was faced with the problem of finding suitable accommodation for their mentally challenged adults due to the fact that in South Africa there is no policy between the department of social development and the department of education pertaining to the further care and development of mentally challenged children after they leave the “special school” at the age of 18 years.

The Bezuidenhout’s like many other parents travelled the whole country but could not find suitable accommodation and decided in August of 1994 to start their own facility. Mrs Minette van Loggenberg of Mental Health, Uitenhage assisted with the finalization of the formalities and assisted in the placement of the first 17 mentally challenged adults. The residents were all accommodated at no 50 Penford Avenue, which was purchased from a certain Mr. Erlank.

The facility had one matron, Mrs. Daleen Nicholson and two care givers, Mrs. Unice Langbooi and Agnes Ndoni.

The institution became known in the Eastern Cape, and in a very short time the pressure was on to expand. The Bezuidenhout’s then bought another property that was at the back of 50 Penford Avenue. It was a three bedroom house situated at 33 Gibson Street, Uitenhage. After quite a lot of renovations and other improvements the house had four bedrooms and could accommodate another 14 people.

On various occasions applications were made to the Government of South Africa for assistance however without any success. 

The trustees of the institution were appointed by the High Court of Grahamstown who clearly indicated that the institution would operate as a non-profit, and that there must always be five (5) trustees appointed by the High Court to manage the trust. Below are the five (5) trustees that were appointed by the High Court to manage the Bezuidenhout Trust.

Estelle Pentz

Trustee

Since 1994 the institution has received various donations and support from other institutions , businesses and the public of Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage, as well as from a number of churches. The residents in the vicinity of the institution have been supporting the institution and have adopted the mentally challenged adults of house Minette.

The experience that has been gained from this project is so great that it cannot be calculated in terms of money. The Bezuidenhout’s had to face many obstacles and red tape from the authorities but they never gave up and continued to learn from each experience. They had to change the Legal Status of the Bezuidenhout Trust I.T.1798/96 to that of a Non-Profit Company, before registration of a Public Benefit Organization could be registered with the South African Revenue Service. This was completed successfully, and the official Legal Status of House Minette is NEWLISERVE NPC (Non-Profit Company 2016/099361/08)

Currently the institution caters for 32 residents who are mentally challenged and come from various destinations in South Africa. Gerrie and Isabella Bezuidenhout also live at the institution to manage the institution on a daily basis. The founders of this institution have been quite clear about the future of the institution and have created a policy that indicates clearly that the institution must continue after both the founders have passed on, and until such time that all of their children have passed on, thereafter it must be utilized as an institution only for Mentally Challenged Adults.

The institution employs seven (7) well trained staff. Most of them have been with the institution since 1996.

041 922 8225

gerrie@newliserve.co.za