This as the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature (NCPL), in partnership with the Department of Social Development and (Salga), will host the 1st Provincial Older Persons’ Parliament at the Francis Baard District Municipality.

The spokesperson for the legislature, Carmen Gopane, says this initiative will seek to ensure that the provincial legislature discharges its constitutional mandate to conduct oversight of organs of state and municipalities.

Gopane says the Older Persons’ Parliament will comprise of 70 district delegates, government and non-governmental stakeholders, and members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs).

This will provide older persons with an opportunity to unpack issues affecting their rights as enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa.

Gopane says older persons are important to our society with their rich source of knowledge on various matters, therefore this engagement will create a platform to debate issues around the Older Persons Act, which promotes the protection and care of the aged held under the theme ‘’It is our future, hear us’’.

The theme has been adopted through a process that seeks to highlight provincial returns on investment in services to older persons.

The engagement is a participatory platform to debate issues around the Older Persons Act, which promotes the protection and care of the aged, and the themes for discussion will be on the protection of older persons and the impact of government services on the lives of older persons.

OFM News/Dinovian Lewis