King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality in partnership with the Department of Social Development, Matyenengqina Traditional Council and the KSD Older Persons Forum commemorated the International Day for Older Persons in Ward 32, Matyengqina Komkhulu.
The aim of this gathering held on Thursday, October 31, was to celebrate Older Persons and to raise awareness on issues affecting them like poverty, abuse and old age related illnesses, such as Dementia disease. The gathering was also to empower them in all aspects of their lives. It has become apparent that senior citizens are prone to abuse when they have such illnesses, they get accused of mainly witchcraft and are killed.
Standing in for the Executive Mayor, MMC for Special Programmes Unit Cllr. A. Ketse encouraged young people to treasure the elderly as they have wisdom to share and spoke against violations of their rights. She informed the community about Municipal services and how the Municipality can assist.
Referencing what has happened in Mqhekezweni, she said that there is something to be fixed in the moral fibre of communities, because something is clearly wrong. She urged people to unite and not harbor criminal elements in communities.
Government, Non-Profit and Non-Governmental Organizational structures were part of this event to honour and to empower Senior Citizens – who, because it was their day, did not pass an opportunity to dance in celebration.
