Elderly cautioned to refrain from gambling
Love Masia urged the elderly spend their time on constructive activities rather than to risk their retirement funds on gambling activities.
LIMPOPO – The treasurer of the Limpopo Older Persons Forum, Love Masia, warned the elderly people in the Vhembe district to stay away from gambling as this exhausts their retirement funds.
“We find that all the more older people get involved in excessive gambling, often also borrowing money from loan sharks (matshonisa). Loan sharks will leave you penniless after taking your grant money to repay those loans,” he warned.
Masia addressed over 100 elderly persons in the district on September 13 after the Older Person’s Parliament that was held in the Thulamela Council Chambers in Thohoyandou.
He advised that older people should instead look after their health by getting active through exercise.
Acting Vhembe District Mayor Takalani Mundalamo said old people are the cornerstone for families, villages and communities at large.
“We grew up seeing them uplift themselves and their families. We are who we are today, because they took care of us since childhood and we must appreciate them, particularly the women. We must as a government create a way of taking care of older people by establishing care centres and the like as centres of entertainment for seniors where they will can express their skills to keep them busy.”
These pastimes could include sewing, ceramics and bead work, said Mundalamo.
He appealed to community leaders including the South African Civic Association and traditional council structures to help them access health care services.
