2019 Senior Citizens Parliament – Gearing for Social Responsibility (isiZulu)
Story by Vusi Shabalala& pictures by Gugu Mtshali
The KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Honourable Sihle Zikalala led his cabinet on the second successive day, Wednesday
2 October 2019, in celebration of the 2019 Senior Citizens Parliament. It is worth commending and praises to
witness political records being broken into positives. Premier Zikalala has shown stealth and substance by
setting a good example – leading his cabinet at the forefront amid prevailing socio-economic challenges that the
country has faced recently. Mr Zikalala has been there during the opening day of the Senior Citizens Parliament
and availed himself once more on the second day – gearing for social responsibility programme.
Every government service, major or small, remains a project that would address societal needs and
responsibilities that normally takes its toll and time to complete – it is a process. The 2nd day’s programme, was
directed and coordinated by the Chairperson of the Committee on Quality of Life Standing, Honourable Mbatha Cele.
The day was a business centred affair. This was a continuation of Day 1 programme. The first activity was on
four presentations from the provincial departments of Social Development, Home Affairs, Justice (Prosecution
and Judiciary), Community Safety and Liaison. The focus was more on social matters that include: radical
intervention programmes to transform the quality of government services to senior citizens; mechanisms to
protect senior citizens from various forms of abuse; increasing levels of alcohol consumption by women and
elderly people; plans to ensue preferential treatment of senior citizens visiting the Department of Home Affairs,
banks and other centres attached to their basic needs. No government will exclude any portion of its citizenry
from advancement and living a better life.
Honourable Mbatha-Cele announced to the house the orderly process that would unfold to complete the
business programme for Day 3 –Thursday 3 October 2019. The entire session throng was divided into six
breakaway commissions that would unpack all thorny issues that require imminent address. The commissions
were allocated into clusters, namely Social Transformation, Economic, Governance and Security Clusters.
When taking stock, it is a reality that the number of elders and pensioners living below the poverty line is
continuously rising. Fortunately, there are some helpful and free benefits available for senior citizens but there
are concerns that communities are unaware of them.
It should be stressed that the Provincial Cabinet, Legislature and Office of the Premier (OTP) has been hard at
work in reaching out to the communities through Taking Parliament tothe People, Operation Sukuma Sakhe
(OSS) and other platforms that seek to address the plight and needs of the senior citizens, women, youth and
those People with Disabilities (PWDs). There are numerous benefits which include amongst others, disability
living allowances, the discounted, adult day care and free television for senior citizens. Senior citizens reaching
the age of 75 are eligible for a free television licence. This brilliant scheme will also cover anybody that you live
with in your home. This does not happen automatically though, so you will have to make sure that you apply for
it once one turns 75.
In overall, the reports presented by respective Commissions on the final day mainly covered on essential needs
such as water, waste management and sanitation services- especially in rural parts of the areas they live; the
exemption of senior citizens from paying high electricity bills; allocation of separate pay-out days for social
grants to senior citizens and women who eligible for child support grant; comprehensive plan to curb substance
and drug abuse by the youth and unemployed citizens and many more on the list.