31 May 2000
The Public hearings into the abuse, neglect and ill-treatment of older persons have taken centre stage in the Eastern Cape this week. More than 1, 500 older persons participated in the hearings, in the province, during the last two days.
Today more than 600 older persons from the Herchel area and surrounding districts converged on Sterkspruit to add their voices to this campaign, which lends an ear to the senior citizens.
The Bensovale Teacher Training College Hall was this morning turned into a forum for the older persons to tell the Committee into the Abuse, Neglect and ill-treatment of Older Persons - established by the Minister for Welfare, Population and Development Dr Zola Skweyiya and chaired by Human Rights Commissioner Tom Manthata - about their experience in society and their calls to be regarded as useful members of society.
Dozens of older persons clamoured for the microphone in the hall to give evidence to the committee members, tell their stories of their trials and tribulations, and pro!vide suggestions for solutions.
Some of those giving evidence included Mr Charles Dwebe of local committee for older persons who said some of their complaints included older persons who faced neglect and had no care-givers in their old age. He talked of grandchildren who financially abused older people and of pensioners who did not get to enjoy their social grants.
One older person talked of his mother, who was old enough to qualify for pension, yet was told that she was young and therefore did not qualify for pension. This was because of a mistake in the registration of her birth.
Mrs Sannath Mjeza said she was sent by pensioners in the Sunduza Village, and said the older persons there felt neglected and not well-treated. They had problems at the banks where the service was poor. They had to take care of grandchildren without adequate resources because their parents were unemployed.
Mr Mbulelo Dieme complained about the amount of social grants, saying that the R520 they received was not enough to cater for their daily needs and was way below the cost of living. He called for a review of the amount paid to social grant recipients. Local Chief Bebeza told the committee that they were concerned about elder abuse, and wanted to sensitise communities, especially isolated and distant communities in rural areas about the plight of older persons.
Other older persons from the Ezibeleni Township near Queenstown complained about older persons being raped in their homes. They said they felt vulnerable and called on the police to pay home-visits to older persons in their areas of jurisdiction so that they could feel safe.
Commenting on the public hearing held yesterday (Tuesday May 30) in Lusikisiki, Committee chairman Tom Manthata said they were very concerned about the alleged proliferation of rape and sexual assault cases against older persons, which were allegedly not followed up by law-enforcement agencies. The committee would call for urgent attention to be paid to these allegations of serious crimes against older persons, which also included house-breaking. Committee members also held private interviews with those older persons who did not wish to speak out publicity. Their cases would be individually investigated and followed up.
Committee members also visited the St Elizabeth Hospital in Lusikisiki and old age facilities in the Sterkspruit area where they inspected the living conditions and treatment of older persons in those institutions.
The hearings move to Mdantsane, near East London tomorrow (Thursday June 1) and to Uitenhage on Friday, June 2.
For more information call Kgati Sathekge at 082 808 9486
Issued by the GCIS on behalf of the Department of Welfare and Population Development