Organisation for pensioners’ rights

I WISH to refer to your article published in “The Star” (“Pensioner tells of illicit grant deductions”, June 6) by Sakhile Ndlazi.

As a pensioner, I am sure many concerned pensioners and South Africans were touched by the story. Her voluntary support of her three grandchildren and unemployed daughter is amazing and admirable.

This 73-year-old lady has, irrespective of her menial job as a farm worker, been contributing to the economy for 40 years.

At present her dignity and integrity and quality of life is being insulted and abused. How many more elderly pensioners have contributed similarly, if not to a greater extent, to the improvement of the conditions before, during and after the apartheid era.

South Africa has become a circus and farce of political, financial, criminal and moral corruption and degeneration.

We require a national unified effort to improve pensioner conditions.

I propose that a legal organisation be founded nationally. Which, for example, can be named the National Association for Pensioners Benefits. Such an organisation can fight for the rights of pensioners.

I challenge The Star to compare pensions and benefits in countries such as the US, Canada, UK, Australia and the European continent.

A simple equation is using R50 as an example of single person expenditure per day on food. If multiplied by 30 days in a month it totals R1 500.

How does the person pay rent, electricity, clothing, medicine inter alia with a R100 balance?

I wish to thank Sassa, sponsors, contributors, institutions, discounters and donations by those concerned. God bless you. Turffontein