06 Nov 2025

While society has remained largely patriarchal, dynamics at family level have consistently portrayed the grandmother as the centrepiece of family survival – the glue that knits together the pieces that make up a family unit – the heartbeat that guarantees the very existence of all.

From decades back when modernity was but a far-fetched dream, grandma was still the linchpin, keeping the family unit intact; at the same time teaching and enforcing values that imbued communities with unadulterated love. She made sure that family members were equally cared for; that none suffered under the yoke of lack.

Like a rising sun, she illuminated every face, clothing it in the radiance that could only come from a heart secure in her uncompromising care.

With the passage of time, and the embracing of modernity by society, her position has to some extent remained unchanged.

Today, she still carries the burden of care, and it is in acknowledgement of this mammoth responsibility that government has upped the Old Age Pension allowance or Tandabala, affording her room to better discharge her God-given duty.

And since the increase of the allowance in April this year, from P830 to P1,400, that pillar of family has once again blossomed, shining in regaining the ability to care for herself and those dependent on them for support.

 

NAOMI LEEPILE

In Tsabong, 71-year-old Ms Mamase Ntau feels she has been thrown a lifeline, one that month-after-month endows her with financial security, giving her a renewed a sense of dignity.

After the increase, Ms Ntau’s first act of self-care was to ensure a dignified send-off for herself when she departs earth.

“I have now subscribed for a funeral policy so that I can have a dignified funeral,” she notes, emphasising how she would not have loved for her death to burden her children in any other way save emotionally.

Still driven by a sense of care for others, and with her nest very much open for her children and their offspring, Ms Ntau is working on making her home more inviting and comfortable, replacing her old furniture and saving towards renovating her house.

Beyond future security, the increased funds have improved Ms Ntau’s quality of daily life, granting her the freedom to make choices that were previously impossible.

“I am like other people nowadays,” she laughs, noting her ability to go to the shops and spoil herself with some goodies,  a stark contrast to her previous situation where she sometimes had to ask for food from neighbours.

Crucially, the financial boost has allowed Ms Ntau to fully re-engage with her community, ending a period of potential social isolation.

“I am now able to engage socially with other women in the village as I am now able to pay for metshelo and also contribute for funerals and weddings.”

The traditional savings or social clubs, often require monthly contributions, and Ms Ntau’s ability to participate marks her full inclusion in the village’s social and economic fabric.

Her heart overflowing with gratitude, Ms Ntau wishes her fellow beneficiaries of the Old Age Pension would meet government half-way by using the funds wisely to ensure the allowance has an enduring impact on their lives.

She sees the increase as a critical step toward economic justice for the elderly.

 

KEITH KETI

In Serowe, Ms Violet Mosweu hails the increase in Tandabala, a boost that has allowed her the freedom to perform their roles effectively.

The 79-year-old shares that her increased pension allowance has given wings to her dreams, allowing her space to maintain her lifestyle, refurbish her house, and buy groceries for the household.

She believes receiving the pension reduces her daily living limitations and also eases many physical and mental health problems that come with old age.

Ms Mosweu is of the view that the Old Age Pension allowance is a shield that protects her from falling into poverty, given the regular income it provides.

It also helps enhance her household’s overall welfare and health. 

She observed that the pension is crucial, as children often cannot support their parents as they did in the past, making the allowance especially valuable.

“Lemme ga le bolae, go bolaya lefifi. Le fa o bone selo se le sennye o itumele, o itse fa go sa tshwane le tshoo-tshoo,” she says, observing that a raise to the promised P1,800 would make the allowance even more impactful.

Another Serowe pensioner, Ms Kemmonye Setumo is equally grateful for the increase in Tandabala, and like Ms Ntau, she prays for sound financial management among fellow pensioners, anchored on a clear plan in order to achieve optimal benefits.

 

ESTHER MMOLAI

In Maun, 78-year-old Ms Kamogelo Mombala is finally living the dream that has, until now, remained elusive – the dream of financial independence.

Ms Mombala, who has never been formally employed and is a mother of seven, has survived through crop cultivation and livestock farming in Komana in the outskirts of Maun.

After the passing of her husband, the burden of providing for the family fell squarely on her shoulders, but with the courage that only a grandmother can muster, she soldiered on, daily putting a plate before each of her children and grandchildren.

When elephants’ invasion later forced her to abandon her ploughing field and retreat to Maun, she did not abdicate her responsibility to care for family, particularly her grandchildren.

A new beneficiary of Tandabala at the time, Ms Mombala invested her allowance into making sure that her grandchildren are well-fed, that being despite the fact that their parents were now working and providing for their upkeep.

“I was overjoyed when the new government increased Tandabala to P1,400, especially in light of the high cost of living,” he notes.

“The money helps me to maintain a dignified standard of living as now I have the freedom to make choices about my overall lifestyle.”

Since the increment, Ms Mombala is living comfortably and is no longer a burden to her children.

What she particularly likes is the access to specialised health services that the allowance gives her as she now affords to cover her own medical expenses.

Like her compatriots, Ms Mombala is all for the adoption of consistent saving habits so as to create a safety net for emergencies.

Another recipient, Ms Gakemoeng Molaletsi sums it all up succinctly.

“We are no longer social burdens because we can do anything we want at any given time,” she says.

Introduced to ease economic hardships faced by the elderly especially as traditional support systems have weakened over time, the Old Age Pension allowance  also pays homage to senior citizens for their contribution towards the development of the country, and the recent increase is without doubt a cherry on the cake. ENDS