Lwazi September
​On Wednesday, 05 June 2024, the Gauteng Department of Social Development together with Ekurhuleni Health Care Workers and Ekurhuleni Older Persons Forum visited about three hundred and fifty (350) households at Ekuthuleni Informal Settlement in Kwa-Thema as part of a build-up programme to World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is observed annually on June 15, to recognise the significance of elder abuse as a human rights issue.

According to Gauteng Department of Social Development Ekurhuleni Regional Coordinator of Older Persons Programme, Lindi Khoele, the purpose of the door-to-door campaign was to educate the community about the rights of older persons.

“We are in Kwa-Thema today to promote the rights of older persons, and to empower the community to recognise and report the abuse inflicted to some of the older generation.”

“In our communities, we know that people will see an older person being abused but they do not know the channels available to report such abuse. Therefore, the main purpose is to assist communities to identify elderly abuse and to report it to the relevant stakeholders.”

“This engagement is a build-up to the Provincial World Elder Abuse Awareness Day to take place in West Rand on the 14th of June. As we know, older people are most important in communities, and they play a significant role in nurturing the younger generation.”

“During this day, we will celebrate them so that communities know that older persons have a valuable input and knowledge to be shared with young people,” said Khoele.

One of the residents at Ekuthuleni Informal Settlement said the number of social ills in their community was a contributing factor to elderly abuse.

She said, “Older persons in our area lack basic services such as proper sewer, water and electricity. Crime and violence are among the many issues they face.”