The elderly people of the Eastern Cape’s Amathole District Municipality appealed to the government to provide them with more protection as they become increasingly vulnerable to a host of crimes, including rape, assault, attempted murder and burglary. They shared these experiences with the Portfolio Committee on Social Development when it conducted public hearings on the Older Persons Amendment Bill in Butterworth yesterday.
Some of them shared their painful rape experiences at the hands of heartless young people. They highlighted their experiences of abuse to demonstrate the extent of their vulnerability, with no protection from the police. They attributed the vicious and cruel crimes they endure to substance abuse, of drugs in particular, and to high unemployment among young people. They urged the government to fight drugs in their communities and to create employment.
The elderly people who participated in the public hearings came from all the local municipalities that fall under the Amathole District Municipality. In supporting the Bill, they welcomed the opportunity afforded to them by the committee to make proposals and suggestions on the Bill. They pointed out that they draw hope from the Bill as it stands and called for its implementation to end the tide of crime they endure in their communities.
They appealed for transport to be provided for those who are unable to reach the old age service centres. They also asked for the service centres to be provided with at least two caregivers per centre and for fencing of their service centres. They proposed that there should be a clause in the Bill making it a requirement for public and private spaces such as banks to have separate queues for old people, as young people push them in queues. They also called for government to build permanent old age homes and service centres in the sites that they were allocated by their municipalities.
The elderly also welcomed the funding allocated by the Department of Social Development for their nutrition but requested that the funding should be extended to cover the building of centres, maintenance, fencing of sites and centres, employment and payment of care givers. They also appealed to the department to simplify norms and standards as they are not implementable in rural areas. The language used is also not understandable, they said.
The Older Persons Amendment Bill aims to strengthen the protection and prevention of abuse of older persons, eliminate harmful traditional practices including witchcraft accusations against older people, and recognise the responsibilities of older persons in passing on inter-generational knowledge and wisdom. It also seeks to make provision for the removal of older people to temporary safe care without a court order.
The Chairperson of the committee, Ms Nonkosi Mvana, thanked the elderly people for their attendance at the public hearings and for their meaningful contributions on the Bill. She informed the participants that all their inputs will be considered when the committee has reached all the provinces. The committee will deliberate on them and make a report, which will be submitted to the National Assembly and to the National Council of Provinces, whereafter the President will assent it into law.
Today, the committee is conducting public hearings in the OR Tambo District Municipality in Lusikisiki at Bonginkosi Enoch Nongoma Community Hall from 10am to 2pm.
Source: Parliament of South Africa