{"id":24659,"date":"2013-10-22T15:29:24","date_gmt":"2013-10-22T13:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/2013\/10\/senior-citizens-urged-to-stop-borrowing-money-from-loan-sharks\/"},"modified":"2013-10-22T15:29:24","modified_gmt":"2013-10-22T13:29:24","slug":"senior-citizens-urged-to-stop-borrowing-money-from-loan-sharks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/senior-citizens-urged-to-stop-borrowing-money-from-loan-sharks\/","title":{"rendered":"Senior citizens urged to stop borrowing money from loan sharks"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Johannesburg \u2013 Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini has made an earnest appeal to all older persons to take responsibility and stop borrowing money from loan sharks.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason they [older persons] are now demanding for more money is because they can\u2019t keep up their standard of living because they owe a lot of money to the loan sharks.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe interest to some is 30%, but what is also sad is that older persons leave their IDs with loan sharks. If something should happen, your children have a problem organising (for example) an admission to hospital because you left your IDs and cards with mashonisas (illegal loan sharks),\u201d Dlamini told older persons on Monday.<\/p>\n

She was speaking at the launch of the first National Older Persons Parliament at the Gauteng Legislature.<\/p>\n

A concerned Dlamini said that while government was trying to make the lives of senior citizens easier, it is now pushed to make their lives difficult. She said the department will no longer allow for any deductions to be made from pensioners\u2019 cards. If they are owing money to anyone the debit orders will not go through.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe department will be working towards shutting down every deduction from the pensioner cards.\u201d<\/p>\n

She noted that when the announcement was made on shutting down the deductions in June, older persons challenged the department.<\/p>\n

She also warned older persons not to give out their pin numbers to their children and grandchildren since they will be able to access their accounts.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t allow the systems to be abused in your name. You are very important, you are an asset and we still need you and will fight against anyone who abuses older persons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Held under the theme, \u201cBuilding A Caring Society For Senior Citizens Through Oversight Public Participation\u201d, the parliamentary sitting launched by the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in partnership with the National Department of Social Development aims to effectively address issues faced by senior citizens.<\/p>\n

The discussions focused on:<\/strong><\/p>\n