Elderly treated by City
Health workers were also on hand to check their blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin levels.
IT was a special day for more than 300 residents of Reuven Old Age Home in West Turffontein when the City of Johannesburg threw a party on August 21.
The big party was held for the senior citizens to celebrate the 61st anniversary of Women’s Month in recognition of 9 August 1956 when thousands of women marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to demand equal rights and justice.
The City’s Section 79 Committees Chair of Chairs, Clr Alex Christians, who was accompanied by a high-profile City entourage, including MMC for Health and Social Development’s Dr Mpho Phalatse, four chairpersons of Section 79 committees and several Region F councillors, hosted the festivities.
The elderly were treated to tea, coffee and sandwiches as the Johannesburg metro police department’s brass band, which has in its short history endeared itself to multiple audiences, provided the musical backdrop, belting out golden oldies such as Pata Pata and Meadowlands as well as popular gospel songs.
Senior citizens were also given exercise tips by City official Cleone Carter-Harris and hand, neck and shoulder massages by students from the University of Johannesburg.
“I didn’t realise they were going to offer massages. It was really nice,” said an elated Gogo Erica Becker (73).
Health workers were also on hand to check their blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin levels.
In her speech, Clr Phalatse encouraged the senior citizens to register for the City’s Expanded Social Package (ESP), an improved safety net for the indigent.
Clr Christians urged the elderly to approach public representatives should they need assistance on any municipal-related issues.
“Our role is to ensure the executive does its job. We oversee the governance of the City,” Clr Christians said.
Reuven Old Age Home houses 320 elderly men and women of all races.
“I moved here nine years ago from Meadowlands,” said Gogo Carolline Ngoasheng (71). “I like helping out in the office and today in the kitchen. This is very nice, I’m happy they are hosting this event for us. This is a lonely place, especially at night when you are all and by yourself in your flat. So you have to keep busy during the day.”
Gogo Belinda Nkosi (81), formerly of Vosloorus on the East Rand, has been at the home since 1994. She said of her 10 children only three were still alive.
“I worked for the municipality for 30 years. Now I am being taken good care of here. To keep busy, I help with the cleaning. Every Sunday I go to Rhema Church which I have been a member of for 32 years,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.
At the end of the event, the elderly were handed small bags with vegetables, fruit and juice.
Clr Christian and his entourage launched a vegetable garden, which the Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo will help to maintain.
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