year function for older persons and disabled people, Danuse Village,
Moretele
12 December 2006
Programme Director
Leaders of the Provincial Government and the Legislature present
Executive Mayors, Mayors and Councillors present
Dikgosi Tsa Rona
Bagolo Ba Rona
It has become our most beloved annual religion now to come here, not as
Government Leaders but as your children and servants to spend some valuable
time with you, listen to your concerns as well as bid farewell to the foregoing
year in preparation of the next year.
We value greatly this opportunity and therefore feel greatly honoured once
again today to be joined by our parents, both old and those with disabilities
at this year end function. This activity is intended to once again convey our
sincere appreciation for the contributions you have made in the building of our
province and our country. For many years, some of you have endured the heat of
racial segregation, disregard for your fundamental human rights, oppression and
all other forms of abuse.
However, the new democratic order has created an opportunity for all our
people to provide an alternative and better treatment of our older persons and
people with disabilities. Government has generated an enabling regulatory and
legislative framework work through which an environment for a more humane and
dignified treatment of older persons and the disabled persons can be
exercised.
In particular the passing of the Older Persons Act as well as different
policies for both the disabled and older persons all bear testimony to this
fact. In the Office of the Premier, we have established the Office on the
Status of Disabled Persons (OSDP) to ensure that government programmes
incorporate people with disabilities.
In 2007, we will publicly announce the establishment of an Office on the
Rights of Older Persons, which will also be based in the Office of the Premier.
This Office will work with departments to promote the rights and dignity of all
older persons.
Bagolo, Ladies and Gentlemen, we continue to receive disturbing reports of
some of the unfortunate acts that are taking place at some social grant
pay-points in our communities. Some unscrupulous business people have extended
these places to some form of unregulated markets. Moneylenders (Bo-mashonisa),
fly-by-night butcheries and fashion shops have an almost permanent presence at
these pay-points.
We are aware also that most of the products being sold by these people are
of very bad quality, but they always have their way of pressurising our older
citizens to procure them.
Our social grant beneficiaries are therefore denied a right to exercise
freedom of choice on the use of their money. We will request the Department of
Social Development and the South African Social Security Agency to investigate
ways of regulating these social grant pay-point 'markets.'
We must equally call upon our parents to similarly assist us by refraining
from using bo-mashonisa as well as buying some of the unhealthy products being
sold at pay-points.
The successful implementation of the provisions of the policies to promote
the rights and dignity of older persons and the disabled people, requires of
all of us to be a matured and responsible society. That maturity and
responsibility starts with accepting the fact that our parents played an
important role in what we have attained both as a country and as
individuals.
The positions of responsibilities we hold, our social status, our level of
education and all that we regard as ours, they are attributed to the many
sacrifices made by our parents. Our parents denied themselves many things in
the past for the sake of the success of our generation and era.
The Setswana proverb says, "Ntime o Mphele ngwana." This is indeed true of
you as our parents. The bright and shining future of our country and people can
only be attributed to your deep commitment to the ideals of this proverb.
As your children, we would like to once again thank you very much for having
put our interests before any other. You have secured a better life not for the
current generation, but even for future ones.
We will continue to rely on your guidance and wisdom as we tackle the
challenges confronting our society. We know very well that you are all a true
representation of the road we have traversed as a nation. Let then the occasion
of Christmas bring you fulfilment and joy, and may God continue to show you His
love and blessings in the New Year.
As usual I would not like to take much of your precious time by talking too
much today but let me leave you with this exhortation from an anonymous writer
who said:
If life is a gift, we must accept it.
If life is a mystery, we must unfold it.
If life is a game, we must play it.
If life is a struggle, we must face it.
If life is a beauty, we must praise it.
If life is a song, we must sing it.
If life is an opportunity, we must take it.
If life is a goal, we must achieve it, and
If life is a mission, we must fulfil it.
I am therefore most delighted to have spent this time with all these
wonderful people who have reached most of the goals that this anonymous writer
talks about.
I wish you even longer lives and please know that your existence alone is a
blessing to us children and it continues to inspire our work as we together
build a better province and improve the lives of all North West people.
Thank you again for this golden opportunity and please enjoy your day.
I thank you.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, North West Provincial Government
12 December 2006
