Many elderly men and women are living in fear as drug addicts, sometimes their own grandchildren, break into their Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, homes to steal their social grants.
Speaking at a public hearing on the Older Persons Amendment Bill in Ulundi on Sunday, the senior citizens said the attacks were rife on the days when they received their social grants and it was worse for those who lived alone or with little children.
“For some, the attackers and abusers are their own grandchildren who are on drugs. When they do not find money, they take household items to sell to feed their addiction,” said chairperson of the portfolio committee on social development, Nonkosi Mvana.
The senior citizens also asked for training to use banking apps to avoid their grandchildren stealing their money when they ask for help.
Mvana encouraged the elders to stop protecting their abusive grandchildren and to report them to the police.
“We know that some of our elderly people are scared of their abusive grandchildren. They don’t even want to open cases against them. Please don’t keep quiet, don’t protect them if they abuse you; the law is here to protect you,” she said.
Zululand pensioners ask government to save them from their thieving grandchildren
Image: 123RF/sondem
Many elderly men and women are living in fear as drug addicts, sometimes their own grandchildren, break into their Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, homes to steal their social grants.
Speaking at a public hearing on the Older Persons Amendment Bill in Ulundi on Sunday, the senior citizens said the attacks were rife on the days when they received their social grants and it was worse for those who lived alone or with little children.
“For some, the attackers and abusers are their own grandchildren who are on drugs. When they do not find money, they take household items to sell to feed their addiction,” said chairperson of the portfolio committee on social development, Nonkosi Mvana.
The senior citizens also asked for training to use banking apps to avoid their grandchildren stealing their money when they ask for help.
Mvana encouraged the elders to stop protecting their abusive grandchildren and to report them to the police.
“We know that some of our elderly people are scared of their abusive grandchildren. They don’t even want to open cases against them. Please don’t keep quiet, don’t protect them if they abuse you; the law is here to protect you,” she said.
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The Older Persons Amendment Bill aims to strengthen the protection and prevention of abuse of older people, eliminate harmful traditional practices including witchcraft accusations against older people and recognise the responsibilities of older people in passing intergenerational knowledge and wisdom.
“The bill also seeks to make provision for the removal of older people to temporary safe care without a court order,” said Mvana.
The next hearing was scheduled to take place in Eshowe on Monday.
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