Ilka to establish database of the elderly

Recent crimes against the elderly prompted the I Love Kensington Association (Ilka) to establish a database.

Mrs Lornette Joseph, the chairperson of Ilka said, “There has been an increase in home invasions mostly towards the elderly. The criminals are gaining entry from open back doors or open windows, often during the day. Please be vigilant. Ilka is establishing a database. If you are a pensioner send us your contact details. If someone you know is an old age pensioner, or is living alone, please send us their details. Next of kin details can also be given to me to add to the database. This is for the safety and security of residents,” said Mrs Joseph.

Mrs Joseph believes a database of all elderly people and their next of kin will be beneficial.

“I will contact each person and ask their permission if one of my team members can check up on them from time to time via telephone. Also, if the police need assistance with contacting a next of kin, they can contact me. This will not be a database to solicit anyone and the details will not be shared with anyone. I will be the only person who will have this database,” she said.

She said there was recently an incident that Clr Alison van der Molen contacted her about regarding a resident in need.

“I posted on Facebook and in less than 30 minutes, people came forward offering assistance. If Clr Van der Molen had not told me of this, the consequences could have been much worse than just a hungry person. A lot of the elderly residents do not have access to email or Facebook,” said Mrs Joseph.

Last week the EXPRESS published an article in which Constable Mpho Mashakane, the Cleveland SAPS communications officer, said criminals were targeting the elderly in the precinct and urged the community to have a closer relationship with each other.

She said that an 87-year-old-man and his wife were assaulted at their house in Kensington on February 24.

The couple was dragged to the bedroom and tied with shoelaces. The suspects ransacked the house and took jewellery and other valuable items. Two days later, a 69-year-old person living in Kensington was confronted by two suspects while in the bedroom.

Call Mrs Joseph on 083 847 4510 or if you have e-mail, send details to chair@kensington.org.za