Muinjangue raises pensioner abuse in parliament
THE plight of pensioners, who are abused by either family members or vendors, was taken up by a National Unity Democratic Organisation president Utjiua Muinjangue in the National Assembly last week.
Tabling a motion on financial abuse or exploitation of older people, Muinjangue made an impassionate appeal to fellow MPs to support her motion, which is, among others, seeking proper reporting and treatment systems to be put in place to effectively address the problem of financial abuse of older people.
“On the day of the payout, vendors gather at these points and force older persons to buy from them or to take and pay with the next pay. It is so disheartening that some elder persons have to pay N$600 that they allegedly owe for homebrew or tombo, which is N$10 per cup. On payday, they are also targets of people with criminal minds.
“Some family members would force the elderly to give them the pension money.
Youth are waiting for the elderly to rob them at the cash pay points, grandchildren had unauthorised access to the monies of the grandparents,” Muinjangue, who is also the deputy minister of health, told MPs.
Namibia is one of the few countries in Africa, including South Africa and Botswana that pays social grants to those over 60-years old. Pensioners in Namibia receive a monthly grant of N$1 300.
However, Muinjangue said what is worrisome is the numerous reports or incidents of pensioner abuse by family members and in most cases own children.
“Pensioners are being threatened and abused over their grants,” she stressed, adding that in some instances, some are even assaulted physically, and or threatened with death if they don’t hand over their monthly payouts to younger relatives who they are taking care of.
“There are also cases where the older persons themselves abuse the money, using these grants for alcohol and gambling, causing them to stay without the basic needs,” she said.
The MP said although government has made an effort in providing these grants, older persons are still living in poverty and many hardly survive.
“There is a need for a national policy on older persons in Namibia and enactment of the law on the Rights, Care and Protection of Older Persons in Namibia,” she said.
In addition, she said large-scale research is needed to gain a broader understanding of the financial abuse of older persons in Namibia to define its parameters. According to Muinjangue, through focus group
discussions, the older persons’ perception of the alleged abuse and the cultural context in which it takes place will be taken into consideration. “We also need to raise more awareness and education of the existence of financial abuse/exploitation of older persons,” she said, adding that rehabilitative services for the older persons who abuse their own grant, is also needed.
The lawmaker said there is also a need to look into introducing a card system that can be uploaded instead of paying cash.