PROTECTING ELDERS: SAPS AND STAKEHOLDERS UNITE FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES

By Sipho Ncube

• Safeguarding and protecting the elderly must be a collaborative effort between law enforcement, government departments, and their communities.
• With this in mind, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other stakeholders launched an elder community engagement on 12 February 2025 to address the concerns of senior citizens in Johannesburg and the West Rand.
• SAPS and the Gauteng Department of Social Development emphasised the invaluable contributions of senior citizens and the importance of protecting, promoting, and upholding their dignity, rights, and security.

The South African Police Service (SAPS), working with various stakeholders, launched an elder community engagement initiative to address the safety concerns of senior citizens in the West Rand and Johannesburg regions.

The event, held on Wednesday 12 February 2025 at the Centenary Hall in Mogale City, provided a platform for open discussions on the well-being and protection of elderly residents.

West Rand District Commissioner, Major General Lorraine Challen, emphasised that the engagement sought to honour and recognise the invaluable contributions of senior citizens, while creating a dedicated space to discuss their safety and well-being.

Gauteng Department of Social Development Social Work Manager, Pauline Mokgama, reaffirmed the department’s commitment to safeguarding older persons under the Older Persons Act, which is currently under review.

She highlighted that the Act serves to protect, promote, and uphold the dignity, rights, and security of the elderly.

Addressing the gathering, SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thomas Mthombeni, acknowledged the challenges faced by senior citizens in their communities.

“Our engagement today is an eye-opener because we live in hostile environments, and in many cases, senior citizens are victims. We have all seen distressing incidents on social media where elderly individuals suffer abuse, sometimes exacerbated by police inaction,” he said.

Mthombeni assured the residents SAPS was committed to working with other government departments to combat crimes against older persons. “The fight against these crimes requires a collective effort. We urge residents to continue reporting crimes so that we can act,” he concluded.

This initiative reaffirms the importance of collaboration between law enforcement, government departments, and communities in ensuring the safety and dignity of senior citizens.