Pretoria – The country’s senior citizens say all Ministers must be present during Older Persons’ Parliament to give them a chance to raise their concerns with the entire executive.
The South African Older Persons’ Forum (SAOPF) chairperson, Professor Wilfred Legotlo, on Wednesday said their movement is an important partner to government in providing information to older persons about their rights and how they can access government services.
SAOPF is currently holding its annual national conference in Kimberly, Northern Cape, where the Older Persons’ Parliament is taking place. Legotlo said older persons also want their parliamentary session to take place in Cape Town or Pretoria.
The SAOPF conference forms part of the week-long Active Ageing Programme hosted by the Department of Social Development in partnership with SAOPF.
Legotlo said their forum now has functional district forums in all provinces.
“This will go a long way to making the forum visible and reaching all older persons that have not been reached before, while also strengthening the voice of older persons in articulating their issues in local governance structures,” he said.
The conference also resolved that government should be engaged in providing universal access to free water for older persons, introducing subsidised electricity rates and scrapping municipal rates for older persons.
Meanwhile, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini will today officially open the 2015 Golden Games where older persons will take part in various sporting activities at the De Beers Stadium in Kimberley.
The Golden Games promote active ageing and socialisation among older persons. They are held in line with the International Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing, which encourages new approaches to ageing policies and programmes in order to promote a society for all ages.
The two-day Golden Games are the last activity of the Active Ageing Programme, which ends on 30 October 2015.
Government has significantly changed the lives of older persons for the better through the provision of free essential services such as water, health, housing and energy in various municipalities and districts.
Government has also put in place mechanisms to make sure that services and facilities, which promote the respect and dignity of older persons, are easily accessible. – SAnews.gov.za
