Lenziwe Mazibuko, an 85-year-old grandmother from a village near Estcourt, was recently found dead in her home.
She had been raped and strangled, her body left half naked. A 19-year-old suspect was subsequently arrested.
Elder abuse in South Africa is when someone harms or causes distress to an older person. This can happen through actions or inactions like:
* Physical, emotional, or sexual harm
* Financial exploitation
* Neglect or welfare
* Failure to meet basic needs, such as food, water, shelter, clothing, hygiene, and medical care
Elder abuse in South Africa is a major concern. In many South African households, the elderly are expected to manage the household, look after children, and financially support the entire household with their pension.
Underreporting on this is a grave issue globally, and many elderly people do not report abuse or neglect due to fear of retaliation or because they have nowhere else to go. In cases where the elder has dementia or is severely ill, reporting abuse becomes almost impossible.
The elderly become vulnerable, and this makes them susceptible to victimisation. The abuser is often a family member or the primary caretaker.
Still, my research has shown that shelters, hospitals and nursing homes are becoming more and more risky. The people working at or running these facilities know the vulnerability of these victims, and they prey on them, knowing the risk of prosecution is low.
Research shows that the main causes of elderly abuse happen when drugs are abused by the caregiver, or there is unemployment and poverty.
Last year, an old age home in North West was closed down after an elderly person was murdered, and a male staffer was arrested for the murder.
This facility was run without a licence, and upon inspection, it became clear that structural concerns and sanitation were inadequate.
There seems to be an increase in these facilities/shelters popping up.
Yes, there is a shortage of affordable care facilities for the elderly.
But one has to wonder that if it’s so easy to run a facility like this and go undetected for so long, how a certain type of person might use it as a money-making scheme?
I don’t understand it, but some people sleep easy at night despite preying on the vulnerable.
Remember, in South Africa, elder abuse is a crime.
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