Cape Town’s pensioners are unhappy about old-age care facilities and are demanding a SASSA ‘living wage’ and to be treated with dignity. A group of elderly protesters marched from Cape Town’s Grand Parade to Parliament on Heritage Day, reports IOL.
March organiser, Pat Lee, had the following to say about sub-standard old-age care from government: “Our seniors have paid their dues and are unhappy with the way they’ve been treated by SASSA. The continued exchange of cards, non-payment of grants and undignified treatment by officials and Postbank must stop.”
LACKLUSTRE OLD-AGE CARE
One old-age care protester called the South African Social Security Agency’s conduct ‘humiliating’. “We’ve been promised good things, but nothing ever happens. The aged are living in poverty, and we need to engage with the government. I paid tax my whole life and they couldn’t even give me that money,” said the protester.
“Every time you go to the shop, your shopping becomes less. That is why I believe the elderly need a R5 000 living wage from SASSA,” the protester said. Currently, the SASSA Old-Age Grant pays R2 330 for over 75s, with beneficiaries aged between 60-74 getting R2 310. With parliament meeting soon to ratify social welfare increases, the seniors vowed to continue their campaign for better old-age care.
HOW TO GET INTO AN OLD-AGE CARE HOME
If you’re over the age of 60, receiving a SASSA grant and need to be in a 24-hour old-age care facility, here’s how you can go about it. Contact the Department of Social Development (DSD) office HERE to find the nearest old-age care facility. Of course, admission is dependent on an availability of beds. Other useful contact numbers are:
- Social Development Call Centre: 012 312 7727
- SASSA Call Centre: 0800 601 011
- Mental Health Information Line: 0800 567 567
OLD-AGE CARE PER PROVINCE
While not a detailed list, there are the major government-run old-age care facilities in all nine provinces. Cost and availability will vary:
- North West: Rustenburg Old Age Home
- Western Cape: Athlone Old Age Home
- Gauteng: Boksburg Old Age Home, Alexandra Old Age Home, Eldorado Park Old Age Home, Golden Harvest Old Age Home, Lenasia South Old Age Home, Protea Glen Old Age Home, Randburg Old Age Home, Roodepoort Old Age Home, South Hills Old Age Home, Soweto Old Age Home, Krugersdorp Old Age Home
- Pretoria: Pretoria North Old Age Home
- KwaZulu-Natal: Durban North Old Age Home, Isipingo Old Age Home, KwaMashu Old Age Home, Phoenix Old Age Home, Pietermaritzburg Old Age Home
- Limpopo: Polokwane Old Age Home
- Mpumalanga: Nelspruit Old Age Home
COMPLETE AN APPLICATION FORM
If there is availability, visit the facility and complete an application form. Bring along your:
- Valid South African identity document
- A recent medical report
- All relevant financial document (valid bank statement, etc)
If you’re too old or sick to travel, a family member/friend may apply on your behalf. Applications for old-age care are processed within 14 days. If yours is not approved you can appeal to the Department of Social Development (DSD).
Also note that no one can admit an elderly person to an old-age care facility without consent. The only exception is if a medical report proves mental unfitness and a court order is issued in the event of an emergency.
