Mossel Bay, Western Cape – The Portfolio Committee on Social Development concluded its public hearings on the Older Persons Amendment Bill in the Garden Route District Municipality at the Mossel Bay Municipality Town Hall yesterday. This session marked the end of the Western Cape segment of the nationwide hearings on this important piece of legislation.

According to Parliament of South Africa, the Chairperson of the committee, the Bill aims to revise the Older Persons Act of 2006. The original act had unintended consequences that affected the protection, safety, and healthcare of older people, both at home and in care centers. The amendments proposed in the Bill are designed to reinforce the safety of older individuals, address issues such as harmful traditional practices including accusations of witchcraft against the elderly, and recognize the vital role of older people in passing on inter-generational knowledge and wisdom. Notably, the Bill will allow for the removal of older individuals to temporary safe care without requiring a court order.

Ms. Mvana informed the residents of the Garden Route that their inputs on the proposed amendments would be processed and deliberated upon by the committee. Following this, the amendments will be debated in the National Assembly and then forwarded to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence, before being presented to the President for assent into law.

The Bill received unanimous support in principle from the communities in the Garden Route, but they offered several suggestions for improvement. One key issue raised was the need for retraining social workers in the district to better understand and address the complex social needs of the frail and elderly, ensuring compliance with the proposed amendments. Another significant concern was the high fees charged by elderly care facilities, which limit access for many in need of quality social and healthcare services.

Participants also highlighted that the Bill does not address the regulation of governance and fees at residential and independent service centers. The absence of other government departments involved in elderly care at the public hearings was questioned by Ms. Johannah Joshua of Mossel Bay. She emphasized the need for an integrated approach to service delivery for the elderly and queried how the Bill plans to supervise and harmonize the actions of various government departments in this regard.

Mr. Barry Jacobs suggested that workshops be conducted post-legislation to explain the final details of the Bill to the elderly and those responsible for its implementation. He stressed the exclusion of older people from community-based local municipal and governmental structures, advocating for their inclusion to ensure their rights are protected and their needs are met. He emphasized the principle of “nothing about us without us” in the formulation and implementation of policies affecting the elderly.