Ngiyabonga ngokuthola isikhathi sokuba lana uma sigubha usuku lwabadala, lapho sithi akuphele ukuhlunkunyezwa kwabantu abadala. Umphakathi awunakekele abantu abadala nekungabo abathe basikhulisa basikhombisa indlela. Kufuneka ngaso sonke isikhathi sibabhekelele abantu abadala kwiindawo esihlala kuzo, khon’ ukuze bahlale bephephile. Masikhumbule ukuthi kaloku nabo bayilwela lenkululeko kwaye bebehlukunyezwa nabo kwisikhathi sangaphambili. Isikhathi sifikile ke manje sokuthi nabo bathole inkululeko.South Africa under democracy has paid particular attention to the need to fight the abuse of the elderly. Our Constitution states clearly that everyone has the right to the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms. And that in order to promote the achievement of equality, legislative and other measures designed to protect or advance persons, or categories of persons, disadvantaged by unfair discrimination may be taken. It is in pursuance of this constitutional injunction that the national Parliament, working together with provincial legislatures that are located in the capitals of the nine provinces, considered and passed the Older Persons’ Act in 2006. The Older Persons’ Act, okungumthetho oqingqelwe ukunakekela abantu abadala, is there to protect the elderly against physical, emotional and financial abuse. The main objective of the legislation is to among others, maintain and promote the status, well-being, safety and security of older persons, recognise their skills and wisdom and promote their participation in community activities. It also looks at issues to make it possible for older people to live in communities independently, functioning at their highest potential.Lo mthetho ukhombisa ukuthi uhulumeni wethu ufuna abantu abadala bakwazi ukuziphilela kahle. Isikhathi esiningi abantu abadala sibathatha ngokungathi abakwazi ukuzenzela nto, kanti ke bayakwazi ukuziphilela benze nezinto ezingabenza bahlale isikhathi eside benempilo entle. The things that are provided for in the Older Persons’ Act for purposes of ensuring that the elderly can function on their own, are to be done through programmes that would give effect to the right to have access to health care services, sufficient food and water which is enshrined in our Constitution and mirrored in the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights.The Act came into being to address loopholes identified in the Aged Persons Act 81 of 1967. Masikhumbule ukuthi umthetho ka-1967 obukade ukhona wawubhalwe ngabelungu nababengayinanzanga indlela abantu abadala ebebehlala ngayo emakhaya nasemalokishini. One of the loopholes was that the 1967 Act (as amended) focused on institutional care which caters for only 2% of older persons (mainly whites and those in urban areas). It also did not make any provision for community-based care. Umthetho esinawo ke manje nobizwa ukuthi yi-Older Persons’ Act ugxizelela ukuthi abantu abadala bayingxenye ye-communities zabo. Futhi banelungelo lokuhlala phakathi kwemindeni yabo, behlala nabazukulu babo.Abuse of older persons is broadly defined in this Act to accommodate different types of abuse. According to Section 3, it is the responsibility of all the organs of state to implement the Act in an integrated, coordinated and uniform manner. Loku kusho ukuthi uhulumeni akafanele ukuthi uma kufika umntu omdala ezofuna usizo, atshelwe ukuthi makaye kuhulumeni wephondo noba nguhulumeni omkhulu. Cha. Uhulumeni noma yimuphi, kufanele akwazi ukusiza umntu omdala mayefuna usizo – angatshelwa ukuthi makaye ngale noma ngaleya. It is also a joint responsibility of both government and non-government structures to ensure that the Act achieves its objectives and that all must take seriously the importance of a well planned, coordinated and integrated services to older persons. Uhulumeni ke kufanele asebenzisane nemibutho yasekuhlaleni efana ne-ILitha Labantu khon’ ukuze sikwazi ukusiza abantu abadala kwiindawo esihlala kuzo. Programmes concerning HIV/Aids and the elderly, which were originally not part of the Act, were included in the Act after the public hearings conducted by parliamentary committees. Loku kubonisa ukuthi uhulumeni uyalalela ukuthi abantu abadala bafunani. Nabo bayambozwa yizifo ezikhoyo, yiyo lento usizo olubhekise kubo kufanele luquke zonke izinkinga ezibhekene nempilo.Any person found guilty of not adhering to this Act is liable to a fine or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both. Ngiyacela ukuthi sikhulume ngalomthetho, futhi sifundise abantu ngawo khon’ ukuze bazi ukuthi ingaba yiziphi izinto ekufanele sizibheke uma sinakekela noma sibonelela abantu abadala ngeenkonzo, ngakumbi iinkonzo ezilethwa nguhulumeni. I hope that today’s gathering will assist us collectively to improve the conditions under which our elderly population leave. I hope that it will heighten the importance of ensuring that we look after the elderly, not because we like, but because there is an Act of Parliament that protects them.
