​The spirit of unity and cultural pride came alive on Friday as the Gauteng Department of Social Development hosted the Older Persons Choir Festival at the Ga-Rankuwa Community Hall in the Northern Corridor. The event was held under the theme: “Golden Years: See Our Value, Golden Opportunities: Promote Our Rights.”
Nine areas in Tshwane showcased their talent and cultural diversity, including Mabopane, Ga-Rankuwa, Winterveld, Soshanguve, Inner City, Atteridgeville, Hammanskraal, Mamelodi, and Metsweding. 

The festival was part of the Department’s annual Older Persons Week, celebrated across all five corridors of Gauteng in line with the International Madrid Plan on Ageing and the Older Persons Act No. 13 of 2006.

takeholders such as the Department of Health also participated, encouraging older persons to lead healthy and active lifestyles.

According to Pauline Mokgama from the Older Persons Directorate, said”, Older persons are important in our communities. Older Persons Week is commemorated annually to raise awareness about the impact of an ageing population and the need to ensure that people grow older with dignity, while continuing to participate fully in society,” she explained.

She further highlighted the Department’s Active Ageing Programme, which aims to promote health, participation, and security for a better quality of life, as guided by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2002).

The festival was a colourful display of choral and traditional music, with participants putting on vibrant attire. Performances included Zulu Indlamu, Sotho Morokotlo, and Xitsonga Xibelani dances, which enthralled the audience.

For some participants, the festival was about more than just music. Danie Bezuidenhout, conductor of the Inner-City Choir, noted with pride that the Afrikaans language will celebrate its centenary in 2025. Tankiso Modise, a retired schoolteacher from Winterveld dressed in her Xitsonga attire, shared her joy, said.

“I joined the choir after my retirement when my neighbour invited me. The welcome was warm, and we all communicate in different languages. This initiative is a blessing, other provinces do not always have such programmes,” she said with a smile.

At the close of the festival, every choir was declared a winner, and choir conductors received medical support vouchers on behalf of their groups.

Through such initiatives, the Department honours the wisdom, talent, and contributions of Older Persons, proving that ageing is not about slowing down, but about celebrating life’s golden years with dignity and joy.