Old age homes are for whites, not blacks: Mpumalanga premier

Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza has said old age homes are for whites and that blacks must not adopt the practice.

"Black and white are different in terms of their culture and traditions," Mabuza told a meeting of 1,500 elderly people in Nelspruit this week.

"While whites prefer to take their old to these homes for the aged, black people prefer to live with their children and grandchildren and be taken care of up until they die."

Democratic Alliance provincial leader Anthony Benadie called on Mabuza to retract his statements: "Mabuza's statements should be condemned.

"As a matter of fact, a lot of elderly people who are non-white have been reported to be abused physically, economically, spiritually and emotionally in their homes, so it has been proven that they are better off at old-age homes."