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A WOMAN who spent her life giving to those who couldn't provide for themselves died three weeks ago ? and is yet to be buried.

Former concert violinist Simone Salesse (97) died of natural causes on Monday, 31 March, at Arcadia Place Home for the Aged in Observatory.

Salesse had to leave her Claremont home last month as it was demolished by the city to make way for the multi-million-Rand Claremont Boulevard development.

The property was sold to the city in 1981 with an agreement that Salesse be allowed to rent the premises. The city gave her six-months' notice in August last year. Friends of Salesse's say she made no secret of her "hatred of an old age home".

Roslyn Taute, who had been Salesse's care-giver for the past 25 years, says they are having difficulty burying her as Salesse does not have a funeral policy."

"I was told by people from the French consulate that I have to use the R20 000 she left me and her godchild in her will to pay for funeral costs. But how can I if the money she left me is all I have to live on? I have nothing; no place to stay, no savings, absolutely nothing."

Taute refuses to return to her hometown of Heidelberg "until Madame Salesse is buried". "I feel so guilty about her death," Taute says tearfully.

"When we took her to the home, she was extremely upset. She told me, 'Roslyn, you are bringing me here to rot and vrot'. Nobody can understand how those words made me feel inside. She meant so much to me."

Salesse was well known for her generosity within the community, Taute says.

"Everyone in Claremont knew where to go when they needed something. Homeless people and prostitutes knew about Madame Salesse's generosity. She would allow them to wash themselves in her home and even gave them the last food she had if they asked for it. She never turned anyone away."

Taute says the relationship she had with Selasse was more of a friendship than a working relationship as she took care of her without payment.

Salesse's close friend, known only to People?s Post as Sharon, says although Salesse was blind, she was a "spunky and good hearted old lady" who deserves a funeral that is "as memorable as she was?.

Property agent Jeff Wayne, who has taken care of Salesse's property representation for the past 30 years, says Salesse deserves a decent burial as she was a French resistance fighter.

"I have made it my mission for this situation to be resolved as soon as possible. I would have expected the French Consulate to take care of this but according to her friends, they have washed their hands of the situation.

"The French Consulate was the driving force behind the move to the old age home."

Jean-Luc Bodin, consul of France in Cape Town, says the solution to the burial problem inevitably lies with Taute as Salesse has no family in South Africa.

"We are waiting to see what Taute's decision is as we don't have the financial means or power to bury Salesse."

He neither affirms nor denies that the Consulate told Taute to pay for Salesse's funeral, saying he is not authorised to do so.

"The matter is between us and her. Once she has made a decision on how to resolve the situation, we will be able to reach an agreement."

Bodin says the Consulate never pays for the burial of any citizen, but agrees that Salesse "deserves a proper funeral."

"We will have to find a way, but we don't know what to do at this stage. We realise that she has been in the mortuary for three weeks so we will have to find alternatives."

He refused to divulge what those alternatives would be.

? Anyone willing to make a donation towards the burial of Salesse can phone Sharon on 083 690 8226.

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