Premier treats seniors in GSDM

Gert Sibande District Municipality (GSDM) senior citizens were pampered last Thursday when Mpumalanga Premier, Mr David Mabuza, spent a day with them at the AJ Swanepoel Stadium.

The Premier’s visit was one of several in the province where he spends time with senior citizens to listen to their concerns and answer some of their questions.

The marquee was packed to capacity as more than a thousand senior citizens descended on Ermelo.

Mr Mabuza highlighted some of the progress that his office has achieved, among others the improved Grade 12 pass rate, a new boarding school in Amsterdam and ongoing work to resolve water-related problems in different municipalities. During the question-and-answer session Mr Mabuza had to deal with a variety of questions and criticism from his guests and there were also those who voiced appreciation for the work done by his office and the government. Most of the questions were related to service delivery, elderly people suffering abuse at the hands of their children and grand-children, the need for more old age homes as well as safety and security in their areas.

Mr Mabuza acknowledged there were still areas of concern, but promised that even if he does not retain his position, his successor would ensure that the needs of the elderly are prioritised. Some of the guests present were officials from the South African Human Rights Council (SAHRC), Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Legal Aid and Commission for Gender Equality (CGE).After receiving blankets from the Premier, his guests were treated to lunch and musical entertainment by Amahlokohloko Cultural Group.