Elderly people have rights, too

Velile Dlamini, from the City of Ekurhuleni Health and Social Development Department, said the Older Persons Act was introduced by the government in 2006 to promote the well-being and security of senior citizens in South Africa.

November 11, 2019

Aaron Damane 2 minutes read

Velile Dlamini, from the City of Ekurhuleni Health and Social Development Department, advising people about how the Older Persons Act works at the JD Thomas Hall in Eden Park on November 2.

Delivering her speech to elderly people who attended an event at the JD Thomas Hall in Eden Park on November 2, Dlamini said if you are 60 years old and above, this act is meant to protect you.

“The law is meant to protect elderly people everywhere they go, including offices where they apply for their grants, clinics and hospitals where they received medical care and at home where they are raising their grandchildren. But because they do not know about this act they tend to accept anything thrown at them,” Dlamini said, adding that every South African has a duty to abide by this act.

She said the law emphasises that elderly people must be treated with respect, fairness and dignity.

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“Firstly, this act allows senior citizens to skip the queue and get help ahead of younger people. It is within their right to get this kind of special treatment.”

Dlamini went on to add that for this act to function effectively, NPOs that work with elderly people are requested to be registered, have legal documents to work with elderly people and attend workshops where they learn more about how to treat elderly people.

“These NPOs must make sure that they fight against the abuse of elderly citizens,” she said.

She mentioned different types of abuse elderly people face, including physical, psychological and emotional, and this is the reason this act was started 13 years ago.

Physical abuse:

Pushing, beating, strangling and even threatening to kill or beat an elderly person is forbidden by this act. People who are found committing these offences will face the law.

Psychological abuse:

People are forbidden to utter statements like “You are annoying and I hate you” to elderly people. It is regarded as psychological abuse because elderly people are very sensitive

Even to lock an elderly person inside the house while going somewhere is against the act, not to mention starving them.

Calling elderly people names, swearing and insulting them is also against the act.

Emotional abuse:

If an elderly person sends you somewhere and you refuse, it is regarded as emotional abuse, so is making them afraid of you.

Forcing elderly people to use their grant money on something they do not need is regarded as financial abuse.

Dlamini said the grant money is only for elderly people. “Before you use your money, ask yourself what your needs are. Do you have a comfortable nightgown to wear at night? Is your funeral policy paid up to date? Do you have lotions that will make you smell nice? If you are on special medication, do you have enough medication to last you the whole month? These are the things that you need to take into consideration first before you think about somebody else. Even your grandchildren are not allowed to ask you to buy them expensive sneakers with your money,” Dlamini advised elderly people.

Maria Mlangeni, one of the elderly people who attended the event, said she was excited to hear how much the act protects them.

“I didn’t know about all this, but today I am happy that I heard so much and how the act protects me.

“There is this elderly person who was supposed to be here today, but she could not come because her grandchild left her with her young children behind. Now I know how I am going to advise her,” said Mlangeni.