Activists have raised concern about the ongoing vulnerability of elderly people in South Africa after the recent murder of a 70-year-old woman, allegedly at the hands of her son.

Earlier this month, Greta Xaba (70) from Clermont township west of Durban, was allegedly beaten to death by her son. He is a police officer stationed at KwaDabeka Community Service Centre. Her death left the community shocked.

“The murder of uGogo  Xaba has left the community devastated and worried about the safety of elderly people. It has also made us wonder if it is safe to leave [them] alone,” said Cele. She said there need to be community forums that can monitor these situations to protect old people from abuse.

Nhlaka Mnqayi, another community member from the KwaDabeka township said society must be taught the important role older people play. “There should be more awareness events and campaigns and its importance in the community,’’ said Mnqayi.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) 1 in 6 people who are 60 years or older experience some form of abuse in their community. The  WHO has predicted that elder abuse will increase as countries across the globe are experiencing rapidly ageing populations.

Is elder abuse neglected?

According to studies, the South African legislative response to domestic violence doesn’t adequately make provision for elder abuse. The study further highlights that the Domestic Violence Act (Act 116 of 1998) doesn’t cater to elderly victims in the same way and so their abusers escape punishment.

Yoshina Kistensamy, divisional manager of operations at The Association for the Aged (Tafta), a Durban-based non-profit organisation (NPO) dedicated to the welfare of aged persons, said that South Africa has the right legislation to protect elderly people but implementation is the problem.

“South Africa has a national statute namely the Older Persons Act (Act 13 of 2006) that was a ground-breaking piece of legislation, but implementation has been the greatest challenge. The Act covers all aspects and responsibilities. Specific reference is made to elder abuse, which is noted as a criminal act,” she said.

Kistensamy said the legislation will always fail if those responsible for implementing it are not trained and don’t have adequate knowledge of the laws.

“Elder abuse remains a taboo in society and there are inadequate resources to successfully address this scourge,” she says.  Kistensamy highlights the importance of ongoing awareness, empowering elders to act against abuse, and for perpetrators to be held accountable. – Health-e News