The Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini is expected to spend her Sunday with thousands of elders during the National Celebration of Grandparents Week at Mandla Magudulela Stadium in Thandukukhanya township (Piet Retief).
Dlamini also called on the nation to observe the week by recognising the contribution of older persons in the building of the nation.
“Our senior persons are the pillars of our families and communities as many households in South Africa are headed by grandparents. Also, many senior citizens provide care and support to orphans and vulnerable children in our country,” said Dlamini.
“The commemoration of the National Older Persons Week for the first time this year is, indeed, a welcome initiative. We South Africans have the collective responsibility to establish and sustain a caring society for all the vulnerable sections of our society, including our senior citizens. I therefore call on all our people to join us in this initiative by showing gratitude and respect to our senior citizens and by building a humane society in which our senior citizens can enjoy a life dignity. Our cultures and values of Ubuntu enjoin us to respect and be of service to our elders,’’ she added.
The National Older Persons Week was officially launched by the president Mr Jacob Zuma on September 29 2013. Its aim is to promote respect oand the promotion of the rights of older persons.
Since 1994, government has taken a number of pro-active steps to safeguard the interest of the rights of older persons. The enactment of the Older Persons Act (Act No 13 of 2006) was a very positive step in the right direction. The Act aims to maintain and protect the status, wellbeing, safety and rights of older persons. It also aims to promote their integration in the community by creating an enabling environment and promoting participation in activities with people of other ages and cultures.
Government has also made concerted efforts to ensure that older persons enjoy a better life and stats shows that more than 2 905 037 million older persons receive the Old Age Grant from government’s social assistance programme while a further 531 receive the War Veterans Grant.
