20 Dec 2022

 Old age homes are an ideal place for the elderly who would like to live an independent life of their own volition, the Mayor of Francistown, Mr Godisang Radisigo has said.

Speaking at the luncheon hosted for the elderly by the Sixties Francistowners Club at Tatitown kgotla on Saturday, Mr Radisigo expressed support for the establishment of a private old age home, saying the shelter would enable the elderly to live a higher quality of life.

“Old age homes offer a safe environment compared to their own homes that might be unsafe as they grow old,” he said.

The Mayor stated that government valued the contribution made by senior citizens to the country since independence, hence the establishment of programmes and policies such as the old age pension allowance.

“We should not consider them a burden just because they have exhausted their worth and wealth of expertise by contributing towards the development of the country. 

Their time has passed and it is upon us to look after them,” he added.

Mr Radisigo also suggested that the old age years be reduced from 65, saying the years were far much in the afternoon of their lives.

Likewise, Mr Radisigo stated that the national retirement age also be reduced from 60 years to pave way for other eligible citizens, especially the youth who were highly affected by unemployment.

Mr Radisigo called on the preservation of culture, especially old structures and homes that housed prominent people in the city.

He cited the Mandela House in Soweto, which strove to be a world-class visitor attraction and a leading centre for preservation and research on heritage.

He explained that Francistown had a rich history with the same version of some old structures that could play a pivotal role in the preservation of culture.

Mr Radisigo also apologised to senior citizens for the shortage of drugs in the country, adding that government was working round the clock to purchase drugs directly from the manufacturers.

He explained that government fully understood that older people tend to take more drugs than younger ones as they were likely to have more than one chronic medical conditions,such as high blood pressure.

In her welcome remarks, Tatitown Customary Court president, Kgosi Chamalebo Montshiwa also underscored the value senior citizens played in the history of the country.

Kgosi Montshiwa thanked the club for the generosity it showed towards the senior citizens.

“It is pleasing to see groups such as the Sixties Francistwoners Club valuing the contribution of the elderly people towards the socio-economic and political development of this country,” she explained.

For his part, the chairperson of the Sixties Francistowners Club, Mr Thomas Maika said this was not the first event of its kind the club hosted for the elderly.

Mr Maika explained that in 2021 the Club hosted a similar luncheon for 70 elderly people in Shashemooke and donated food hampers to two residents of the village with disabilities.

He said in 2020, they donated food hampers to less privileged members of the society in Tatisiding and appealed to the business community to support the initiative.

Sixties Francistwoners Club is a group of individuals who have a strong attachment to the city of Francistown, having been born in the 60s and witnessing its growth.

While the club has other objectives, the cornerstone of its formation is to give back to the community. ENDS