MINISTER TOLASHE JOINS SA COMMUNITIES IN COMMEMORATING GRANDPARENTS DAY

By Staff Writer.

• South Africa observes Grandparents Day on the first Sunday of October, reflecting on the dignity, rights, and well-being of grandparents, ensuring they are supported.
• This year’s international theme is “Blessed are those who have not lost hope”.
• The day pays tribute to the love, guidance, and stability grandparents bring to families and communities.

Sunday, 5 October 2025, South Africa commemorates Grandparents Day as part of a global recognition of the love, guidance, and stability that grandparents bring to families and communities.

Minister of Social Development, Sisisi Tolashe, will join in the celebrations of Grandparents Day.

Observed internationally on the first Sunday of October, the day honours grandparents for their wisdom, traditions, and the vital role they play across generations.

This year’s international theme, chosen by the late Pope Francis, is “Blessed are those who have not lost hope” (Ecclesiastes 14:2). It forms part of the Jubilee of Hope 2025 and highlights grandparents as symbols of resilience and bearers of hope within families and communities.

In South Africa, the Department of Social Development acknowledges that grandparents play a critical role in sustaining households and raising grandchildren, particularly in situations where parents are absent.

Many grandparents provide care for orphans and vulnerable children, often while managing limited resources.

In response, the Department of Social Development continues to strengthen programmes and services that support and protect older persons, and recognises the invaluable role they play in family and community life.

Grandparents Day is, therefore, not only a celebration but also a call to action.

It is an opportunity to reflect on the dignity, rights, and well-being of grandparents, and to ensure that they are supported. Their role as pillars of families and transmitters of values remains essential in building strong, resilient communities.