“I COULDN’T buy anything for my grandchildren.”
These are the stark words of Umbilo pensioner, Mumsy Davids (74). With Christmas on the way, and no more than R100 to her name, this a grim situation faced by many of South African’s pensioners. Unlike many South Africans who are stocking up on gifts and luxuries to enjoy over the festive period, Christmas is just another day for pensioners such as Davids.
Her Christmas wish list includes everyday items such as groceries and household supplies.
“I’d like to buy a few extra groceries to have in the house, like mutton. I don’t know how long it’s been since we ate mutton. I buy chicken and sausages, but mostly vegetables. It’s so hard to find bus fare to go to town. Everything has gotten so expensive. By the time you buy a few items, you have nothing left. What I do is I buy one item this month and the next month I get the next item. If I get dish soap this month, I will buy household cleaner next month,” she said.
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Davids survives on a monthly pension of R1 890, a sum that does not stretch far beyond the cost of shelter. She said, “I spent R900 on lights and water and R700 on levies. What am I going to eat with?”
Finances are tighter than usual this year after David’s two children passed away.
“Last year I lost one son and this year, in August, I lost my other son. I was depending on my son. Now that my two sons are gone, it is very difficult. Our money (for the month) is already finished. I am only left with R100 for the next two weeks. I won’t buy anything for Christmas,” she said.
Christmas was once a happier time for the Umbilo pensioner.
“When my son was alive, we used to buy gammon, turkey and crab or prawns – all those luxuries,” said Davids.
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She recalled celebrating as a family when her sons were young. “It was such a joyful time. Before church, I would make breakfast for my sons,” she said.
Before she retired, Davids worked in the clothing industry. “I started working when I was 18. I would earn R4.25 a week,”she said.
This year, Davids will visit her grandson for Christmas. “We will spend some time there and come home,” she said.
Davids, who lives at Lantern Heath with her husband, said she survived for one-and-a-half months on a grocery hamper she received from Meals on Wheels. “It was such a blessing, we are very grateful,” she added.
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