GQEBERHA - Some frail care centres in the Eastern Cape are buckling under the pressure of the tough economic climate.
Non-profit organisations rely heavily on funding from the provincial government.
Social Development in the province is pleading poverty, but hopes the new budget will help.
One of the hardest hit is the Gelvan Park Frail Aged Home in Gqeberha.
It's on the verge of shutting down.
The management says that while the cost of living keeps rising, the subsidy allocation it receives to care for the elderly has largely remained the same amount for the past 10 years.
Unless the situation changes drastically, there are fears that dozens of elderly people who don't have families to go back to could become homeless.
* eNCA's Ronald Masinda reports.