Gugu Madonsela
15 June 2026
Njengoba iNingizimu Afrika nezwe lonke ilungiselela ukugubha uSuku Lwomhlaba Lokuqwashisa Ngokuhlukunyezwa Kwabantu Abadala (World Elder Abuse Awareness Day) mhlaka 15 Juni, izazi zempilo nezenhlalakahle ziveza iqiniso elibuhlungu ngenkinga efihlekile emakhaya ethu: lona wumkhuba wokuhlukunyezwa kwabadala ngokwezimali.
Izazi zezempilo nezenhlalakahle, ziveza izigameko zokuhlukunyezwa kwabantu abadala emakhaya – ukuhlukunyezwa ngokomqondo. Ukuvezwa kwalezizehlakalo, kulandela ukuphuma kwemibiko yokunyuka kwesibalo sabantu abaneminyaka engu 60 safinyelela ezigidini eziwu – 6.6 eNingizimu Afrika ngalo nyaka ka-2026.
Ngokocwaningo lwakamuva oluvezwa i-Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), ibabalelwa ku-60% imizi eholwa abantu abadala abahola isibonelelo sabadala sikaHulumeni (SASSA), Nokho, le mali isiphenduke isizathu sokuhlukunyezwa kwabo, baphucwe amakhadi abo empesheni, baze bavalelwe nasemakhaya.
Ngokomthetho wezempilo, ukuhlukunyezwa ngokwezimali kuhambisana ngqo nokuhlukunyezwa ngokomqondo. Lapho ingane noma umnakekeli ethatha ikhadi le-SASSA likagogo ngaphandle kwemvume yakhe, basuke bengagcini nje ngokuntshontsha imali, kodwa basuke bephuca lowo muntu omdala isithunzi nokuzimela kwakhe.
Lolu hlobo lokuhlukunyezwa alushiyi imivimbo emzimbeni efana nokushaywa, ngakho-ke kunzima kakhulu ukuba umphakathi ukubone lokhu. Abantu abadala abaningi bakhetha ukuthula ngenxa yamahloni okubopha izingane zabo noma ngenxa yokwesaba ukulahlwa unomphela.
“Ukuhlukunyezwa kwabadala ngale ndlela engabonakali, kudalwa kakhulu ukuntuleka kwemisebenzi nobubha obukhulu emakhaya ethu,” kusho uCarrol Sello, uSonhlalakahle woMnyango Wezokuthuthukiswa Komphakathi eGauteng (DSD).
“Imvamisa, abenza lesisenzo sokuhlukumeza abadala, izingane zabo ezithatha mali yabadala ukuba zithenge utshwala, noma izidakamizwa. Ugogo ugcina esesaba ngisho ukukhuluma, ahlale egumbini lakhe eyedwa, agcine engenwa yisifo sokhwantalala (depression) ngenxa yokuzizwa eyisicashalala emzini wakhe”
UGogo Nokuthula Mazibuko (74) waseSharpeville, ulandisa ngobuhlungu adlule kubo ezandleni zomzukulu wakhe oneminyaka engama-26 ehlala naye.
“Umzukulu wami uthatha ikhadi lami njalo ekupheleni kwenyanga, ekhala izinyembezi. “Uma ngicela imali yemithi yami yesifo sikashukela, uyangithethisa, athi ngiyahlupha, ngikhuluma kakhulu. Ungitshela nokuthi uma ngikhononda uzongithatha ayongilahla ekhaya labagugile (old age home) lapho ngingeke ngiphinde ngibone muntu. Lolo valo lungiqeda amandla. Inhliziyo yami ihlezi ishaya uvalo njalo, ngingakwazi nokulala ebusuku. Ngizwa sengathi ngiwumthwalo.” Kulandisa uGogo Mazibuko.
Izinhlangano ezifana ne-TAFTA (The Association for the Aged) ziveza ukuthi izikhalazo ezifika kulayini wabo wosizo (National Elder Abuse Helpline) zikhombisa ukuthi u-63% wabantu abadala abakhala ngokuhlukunyezwa – abesifazane, kanti abaningi babo bahlukunyezwa ngamadodana namadodakazi abo ngqo.
UMthetho Wabantu Abadala (Older Persons Act 13 of 2006) kanye nesigaba se-10 soMthethosisekelo waseNingizimu Afrika kukuveza obala ukuthi ukuhlukunyezwa kwabadala kuwubugebengu.
“Sidinga ukuba imiphakathi isukume izame ukuba ngamehlo nezindlebe zabantu abadala,” kusho uCarmel Murugen, umholi wephrojekthi ye-Helpline kwa-TAFTA.
Uqhuba ethi, abantu abadala bayesaba ukubika izingane zabo ngenxa yothando nemizwa yobuzali, kodwa ukuthula kwabo kubeka impilo yabo engozini enkulu. Umphakathi kumele wazi ukuthi ukuthatha ikhadi likagogo ngaphandle kwemvume yakhe kuwubugebengu obufana nokubamba inkunzi ngesibhamu. Kumele kubuyiselwe isithunzi kubantu abadala.
Uma usola noma wazi umuntu omdala ohlukunyezwayo, uyakhuthazwa ukuba ushayele ulayini wamahhala we-National Elder Abuse Helpline ku-0800 10 111 0 noma uthintane namaphoyisa (SAPS) ku-10111.
