Home›Government News›NC DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT MARKS WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY IN MARUPING

NC DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT MARKS WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY IN MARUPING

June 18, 2026

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By DSD. News

Maruping Village in the Northern Cape was chosen to host this year’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in recognition of the socio-economic challenges many rural communities face.
The annual event aims to raise awareness of the abuse and neglect experienced by older persons and to encourage collective action to safeguard their dignity, safety and wellbeing.
Older persons are the custodians of the province’s history, culture and values and deserve to age with dignity, safety and peace of mind, MEC for Social Development, Mase Manopole, reminded the participants.

Three hundred elders from Maruping Village and surrounding areas in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District of the Northern Cape today gathered to raise awareness about issues such as elder abuse and the rights of older persons, and to strengthen community efforts to prevent abuse, neglect and exploitation.

They joined the MEC for the Department of Social Development, Youth, Women and Persons with Disabilities, Mase Manopole, at the Maruping Village Community Hall on 18 June 2026 to commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is observed annually to raise awareness of the abuse and neglect experienced by older persons and to encourage collective action to safeguard their dignity, safety and wellbeing.

This year’s commemoration reaffirmed the department’s commitment to ensuring that older persons live free from violence, exploitation and discrimination.

Delivering the keynote address, MEC Manopole emphasised the government’s commitment to protecting the rights of older persons as enshrined in the Older Persons Act and South Africa’s Constitution.

The MEC emphasised that older persons are the custodians of the province’s history, culture and values and deserve to age with dignity, safety and peace of mind.

She called on families, communities and institutions to work together to end elder abuse, stressing that abuse against older persons is a violation of human rights and that every citizen has a responsibility to protect senior citizens.

Maruping Village was selected to host this year’s commemoration in recognition of the socio-economic challenges faced by many rural communities, where poverty, unemployment, substance abuse and domestic violence often increase the vulnerability of older persons.

The programme also highlighted the growing concern of financial exploitation, particularly where older persons’ social grants become the primary source of household income.

Throughout the programme, older persons and community members received information on recognising and reporting the various forms of elder abuse, including financial, emotional, physical and psychological abuse, as well as the support services available to victims.

Representatives from the South African Police Service, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), and the Northern Cape Older Persons Forum addressed participants on their respective roles in protecting older persons, improving access to justice, strengthening social protection and promoting the wellbeing of senior citizens.

Mma Agnes Hantise of the Northern Cape Older Persons Forum encouraged older persons to maintain active lifestyles, participate in recreational programmes, and embrace active ageing.

The South African Police Service urged older persons to report all forms of abuse, whether experienced or witnessed, while SASSA highlighted the measures available to protect older persons from the misuse of their social grants by family members or other individuals.

The MEC reaffirmed that the protection of older persons remains a priority and encouraged communities to report all suspected cases of abuse, neglect and exploitation.

She further committed to strengthening partnerships with municipalities, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations and traditional leaders to ensure that older persons continue to enjoy their rights, dignity and independence.

As part of the commemoration, MEC Manopole donated R30 000 to Phuthanang Bagodi, a non-profit organisation that provides services to older persons, to support its active ageing programmes and extend its reach in promoting the social protection of older persons.

She also presented each of the 300 participants with a blanket to provide warmth during the cold winter season.

The successful commemoration formed part of the department’s ongoing efforts to promote active ageing, social inclusion and the protection of older persons across the Northern Cape.