Last Friday, the Gauteng Department of Social Development had a training session on Everyday Heroes Booklet in Sedibeng to educate stakeholders on abuse of older persons in the community.
Speaking to the attendees, Social Worker, Carrol Sello said that, "June is also elder abuse awareness month, therefore Everyday Heroes comic booklet is about educating society and the youth about the rights of elderly people. Most of our elderly people are abused daily at their homes and they are not even aware that they have rights and that they can report the abuse if and when it happens".
Sello added that the Departmental programmes are aimed at preventing abuse of older persons and encouraged communities to have heroes that they can look up to and to also have heroes that inspire the youth in a positive way.
Debbi Jordan from Randvaal Old Age home described this NPO training as "eye-opening and a learning experience where we can learn steps on how to help elderly people and deal with any form of abuse that they may face."
Furthermore, Section 10 of the Constitution provides that everyone has a right to have their dignity respected and protected. The Older Persons Act explicitly criminalizes all forms of abuse of older persons. The violence against the elders or neglect and ill-treatments, strip them of their dignity.
The abuse of an older person is punishable by law, you can be fine or imprisoned upon conviction by a court. The Older Persons Act provides that a court may impose both a fine and imprisonment. (Human Rights and Older Persons Booklet).
 The particulars of the convicted abuser will be entered into the National Register of Older Persons which is maintained by the Department of Social Development. The Act prohibits any person whose name appears in the register from operating or being employed at any place that gives such a person access to older persons and prevents them from providing any community-based and support services to older persons.
The training shed light on the various NPOs that attended and provided multiple insights with regards to how to deal with various issues that may come across.
"We are extremely grateful for this initiative that the department has created as it can assist us in combating the problems the elderly are often faced with." said Portia Mokoena from Sharpeville old age home.