If I (as elder) were president for a day …
If the elderly were given the power to change anything in SA, what would they change?
With only days to go until the 2024 national elections, elderly members of the Luipaardsvlei Home for the Aged shared what they would do if they were to be president for a day.
Chris Visser said, “I am very concerned with what’s happening in our education in South Africa. We are not making it a priority. It has become a cliché that four out of five kids cannot read for meaning. I would prioritise education and ensure that people are appointed because they are competent in the job they apply for instead of being appointed because of certain affiliations with political parties or people.”
Heather Labuschagne added, “I would bring back conscription because most boys get into mischief after they finish Grade 12 since they lack something to do. Spending three years in army training will teach them discipline, basic life skills and how to be independent.”
Jenny Matthews continued, “The first thing I would do is to ensure that subsidies for old age homes and orphanages are given to deserving people because there are people who are only living off their social grants and cannot afford to pay for the rates that they are supposed to pay where they are staying. The second thing I would do would be to increase the old age grant for those who do not have children or people to help support them. The last thing I would do would be to end the child support grant for children whose parents are still alive and working, it would only be given to orphans because women need to learn to work and support their kids instead of leaving them with their grandmothers to support.”
Huibie Grobler said, “I would firstly bring back the death penalty and ensure that there are only two political parties so that people can choose whether they’re for or against, instead of having many political parties. I would ensure that parliament ministers take smaller pay so that there would be more money left for pensioners, and improve medical care and assistance in hospitals.”
Sarie de Lange concluded, “My priority would be making sure that police are equipped, improve state hospitals for better care, ensure health department staff are hired according to their qualifications, and know their theory and practical work. I would make sure that municipalities use the money for road maintenance and other needs of the community instead of using it to benefit their pockets. I would ensure there are employment opportunities and that people are not hired according to their acquaintances but according to the right qualifications.”
