Aid for blind man faced with eviction

SINCE the Cape Argus ran his story on Thursday last week, Tafelsig resident Achmat Ariefdien, 52, has been receiving offers of legal assistance and food parcels from well-wishers around Cape Town and as far afield as Gauteng.

Ariefdien received a warrant of execution from the City threatening to take his house away from him for falling behind with his water account.

Doriane Alexander and Charlotte Makua, paralegal officers at the Athlone office of Legal Aid South Africa, have contacted Ariefdien to see what legal assistance can be provided.

Cape Town attorney Aadil Mayet has also offered to help.

“I would like to assist him in this matter as he is blind and I feel he is being unlawfully treated,” he said.

Community activist and Good Party candidate Paul Daniels, who first alerted us to Ariefdien’s plight, said: “As far as the application for a rebate is concerned, I took it to the City and for now the matter is in progress. We are waiting to see whether they will give him a rebate or scrap the bill.

“Meanwhile, there was a lady doctor in Johannesburg who reached out to me after seeing the story, and she has said she will do whatever she can to get donations from her friends. She will be in touch again when she has further news,” he said.

Ariefdien said he had received food parcels from donors who wished to remain anonymous and was very grateful for all the offers of help.

Meanwhile, Ariefdien’s father, who had cancer, died the day the story was published.