turning ceremony for the KwaBadala home for senior citizens at Nkandla
9 February 2009
It is a pleasure and privilege for me to be here at Nkandla today, to
address such a distinguished audience of senior citizens. This is, indeed, a
very important day for the people of Nkandla. While this is a joyous occasion,
as we are here for the sod turning ceremony to mark the construction of a R32
million facility for the KwaBadala home for senior citizens, let us remember
those who perished here at the KwaBadala Home for senior citizens, which caught
ablaze in November 2007, claiming the lives of 12 senior citizens and resulting
in several injuries.
That day, in November 2007, will always remain a sad and terrible day for
all of us. For many of you, this was a, psychologically, draining experience to
lose loved ones, who had become part of your family.
Rising from the ashes
Our task, as government, is to help you to rebuild your lives. We want to
assure you that this is a caring government.
To this end, the Transformational Task Team, which the Department of Social
Development put in place, has made numerous strides into looking at various
issues, including utilising the KwaBadala home for senior citizens to also
render a basket of other, much needed, services to the community of
Nkandla.
The new KwaBadala home for senior citizens will have capacity to cater for
100 senior citizens 40 females and 60 males. The frail care section will
accommodate a further 20 residents. The building is expected to be completed by
November this year. This facility will be a one stop service centre for older
persons including luncheon clubs, community home based care programmes,
rehabilitation services as well as sport and other active programmes for senior
citizens. KwaBadala is one of 53 facilities for senior citizens in the
province.
The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has commissioned studies, focusing
specifically on the profile of older persons in the province, including socio
economic status, household structure and health status, especially the impact
of HIV and AIDS on the elderly, as well as an audit of all 53 facilities for
senior citizens in the province. We are investigating whether adequate services
are being provided to the elderly, such as safety at pension points, services
from loan sharks, burial schemes and so on.
Our âtaking government services to the peopleâ programme has also targeted
senior citizens, as a vulnerable sector. We are providing services in rural
areas, and providing free social services at places where senior citizens
normally gather. This programme has been implemented at all district
municipality areas in the province.
When we talk about how to translate our caring and compassion for senior
citizens into tangible programmes, we have to think of their realistic needs.
One that comes to mind immediately is giving dignity to our elderly. The
provision of water, sanitation and electricity forms part of this dignity.
Another key issue for our senior citizens is income security. Poverty is a
gross violation of basic human rights, and failure to provide senior citizens
with adequate means to live in dignity impedes their full participation in
society.
Government Intervention
The current global economic crisis has had an impact on most peopleâs everyday
lives, and has affected livelihoods. One of our tasks, as government, is to
analyse the impact that this economic crisis has on our citizens, and to devise
appropriate responses that will minimise the impact, especially when it comes
to the most vulnerable sectors of our society.
President Kgalema Motlanthe, during the State of the Nation address last
Friday 6 February 2009, said and I quote: âgovernment will sustain and expand
social expenditure, including progressively extending access to the child
support grant to children of 18 years of age and reducing the age of
eligibility for old age pension to 60 years for menâ.
This is one such intervention, by government, to ease the financial burden
on our vulnerable groups.
Since 2004, government has made significant progress in realising the rights of
senior citizens in this province. Senior citizens in KwaZulu-Natal number 652
332, which constitutes 7% of the total population of KwaZulu-Natal. Of this
figure, 422 334 (65%) are female and 229 998 (35%) are male. Their age group is
between 60 and 120 years (Stats SA and Population Unit in Department of Social
Development).
The older persons Act, Act 13 of 2006, was signed into law in October 2006.
The Act aims at the protection and empowerment of older persons, their well
being safety and security. The Office of the Premier in KwaZulu-Natal has a
dedicated component which deals, specifically, with the rights of older
persons, headed by Dr. Nonhlanhla Mkhize. The role of this office is to
co-ordinate the respect, promotion and protection of the rights of older
persons in the province. It convenes and provides administrative support to the
KwaZulu-Natal senior citizens forum. It is also responsible for capacity
building, advocacy and awareness on the rights of older persons.
Together with the Department of Social Development, we are actively
consolidating our programmes and how to translate our caring and compassion for
older persons into law. The older persons Act also focuses on five quality of
life characteristics namely, independence, participation, care and protection,
self fulfilment and dignity. These principles constitute a human rights based
approach, which specifically addresses the needs and rights of older
persons.
Let me emphasise that there is a great need for the effective participation
of older persons in the economic, political and social spheres of society,
along with the provision of opportunities for the individual development of
people, throughout their life span. One such example is lifelong learning and
to upgrade the skills of older persons through access to education and training
that allows them, not only, to stay productive, but also improves their chances
of inter generational transmission of experience and knowledge, from older to
younger generations, for the benefit of society at large.
The Premier's Office, together with the Department of Education, initiated
the Masifundisane Literacy Programme, to address the high levels of illiteracy
in this province. We are proud to say that the majority of participants in this
programme are our senior citizens, who can now read the instructions for their
medication, some verses in the Bible and even articles in the newspaper. The
Department of Health has also partnered with us on this programme through the
provision of eye testing services and reading glasses. Since the Masifundisane
programme was initiated, more than 7 400 senior citizens have been provided
with reading glasses.
Further, in accordance with the South African Plan on ageing, the Department
of Housing is providing housing assistance to elderly people, in our quest for
human dignity. The Department of Housing had funded two residential facilities,
namely Hibberdene Care Centre in the Ugu District for R657 504-00 to provide
accommodation to 48 persons, and the Association for the Aged (TAFTA) in Durban
for R 6 482 266-00, to provide shelter for 158 older persons.
The Department of Housing is also considering funding applications for the
following residential facilities, Bhongweni old age home in Kokstad to
accommodate 60 people, Ingqophamlando old age home in Hammarsdale to house 40
people and Mshukangubo Association for the Aged in Maphumulo intending to house
20 people.
Custodians of the Future
According to Statistics South Africa, in 2001 there were 3.2 million older
persons in the country, which translated to 7,3% of the total population. It is
predicted that this number will increase. The province with the highest
proportion of older persons is KwaZulu-Natal with 19,6 %, Eastern Cape with
18%, Gauteng with 16,6% and Limpopo with 12,4%. The province with the lowest
percentage is Northern Cape with 2,1%.
The largest group among older persons is Black African, comprising 67,7% of
the older personâs population. Almost half of older persons (42,9 %) in the
country have had no formal schooling. Older persons, living in urban areas, are
more likely to have had formal schooling, and generally to have progressed
further in education than older persons living in rural communities. It was
also found that only 7,8 % of females managed to reach Grade 12, as compared to
10,7% of males.
It is projected that, by 2025, the proportion of older South Africans will
increase to 10,5% and the number of older people to 5,23 million. The growth in
numbers is expected to occur in each five-year age group above 60, with
substantial growth particularly in the number of older women.
Government seeks to portray ageing correctly as an achievement, and as a
normal phase of life. The elderly have a right to a healthy productive life, to
live in a caring environment and to be treated with respect and dignity.
It is said that in the second half of the 20th century, 20 years would have
been added to the average life-span. Within 30 years, a third of the population
in the more developed countries will be over age 60. The world, as a whole,
will reach that proportion by 2150. And the older population itself is
ageing.
A demographic revolution is underway throughout the world. It is only in a
caring environment, an environment of Ubuntu, that we can capitalise on the
experiences of older people, generally, and those gathered here today. We
should never lose sight of the fact that we are surrounded by wisdom,
experience and expertise. We should actually be spending every day of our year
showering you, our senior citizens, with love, care and support.
We salute you as the bridge to both our past and our future. To you who have
built our nations, we are proud of you and, today, we want to say thank
you.
We recognize that our future can only shine if we reconcile our dreams with the
dreams of our parents and grandparents.
Life is becoming less like a short sprint, and more like a marathon.
For this longevity, we need to maintain a healthy body and a healthy mind. In
our fast ageing world, older people will increasingly play a critical role -
through volunteer work, transmitting experience and knowledge, helping their
families with caring responsibilities and increasing their participation in the
economy.
We must work harder towards an inclusive society, where older persons can
participate as equal partners without incurring discrimination and where their
dignity is assured. We should not overlook that all of our efforts should be
eventually geared towards one paramount goal, improving the plight of our
senior citizens and making life, for millions of older women and men around the
province, better.
Masisukume Sakhe!
Thank you
Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
9 February 2009
