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Two 120 Year old grannies honoured
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Premier's Office

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MEDIA RELEASE
 FOR IMMEDIATE USE
 1 OCTOBER 2000

TWO 120 YEAR-OLD GRANNIES HONOURED

Two 120-year-old grannies of the Eastern Cape, Dora Jacobs of Somerset East and Dora Ntlangulela of Kokstad were honour at a special 
function organised to celebrate the end of the heritage month and the international day for older persons in Somerset East.

Over two thousand five hundred people converged at the Somerset Show Grounds to witness the celebration of two of the world's oldest 
persons, which was addressed by the MEC for Welfare Ncumisa Kondlo.MEC Kondlo highlighted that celebrating "ooMa-Dora" was most fitting as 
they constitute part of the country's heritage and a resource of old persons.

Her speech focused on the needs of the older persons condemning the psychological, emotional and even sexual abuse of older persons.She 
said: "even not to be patient with older persons is another form of abuse which has to be dealt with."She hailed old persons as carrying 
society's archives, which need to be preserved.She thanked the old persons for their advice, care, investment in the young people and for 
their sacrifices over the years."Had it not been for your presence and contribution, South Africa would have been a poorer country today," 
said MEC Kondlo.

She said the Department has conducted an audit on the abuse of older persons and established that there were worrying extents of the abuse 
and neglect of older persons.She said it is against that background that here department began a campaign to ensure the integration of 
older persons in to the mainstream of the society instead of leaving them at the homes of older persons. She said the Old Pension Act had 
been revised to ensure that greater penalties were instituted against abusers of older persons.

She expressed great concern regarding the mushrooming of many welfare organisations, which were reducing old persons to objects of money 
and business generation.She said they would never accept such an abuse, calling upon these structures to come forward with real welfare 
support programmes instead of business objectives.The Department of Welfare spends each month over R3 million to assist older persons, an 
intervention that becomes a major source of economic activity and income to many communities in the Province.She appeal to communities to 
come up with initiatives for caring for older persons, saying greater cooperation with the every stakeholder is central to programmes to 
care for older persons.

A brief profile of the old ladies is as outlined hereunder:

Dora Dotyi Jacobs:

born at Somerset East on 6 May 1880, a fourth child of Mrs Noage and Mr Tukani Makalima,she married Dumezweni Jacobs and gave birth to 10 
children seven of whom have passed away, with 45 grand children, 66 great grand children and one great great grand child, she grew up and 
worked in a farm and never went to school.

Mrs Dotyi Jacobs boasts of not eating everything and being disciplined throughout here life.

Mrs. Dora Ntlangulela:

Grand Child of Adam Kok - after whose name Kokstad was named,She was born in August 1880 married to Bungane Ntlangulela and were blessed 
with 14 children of which only one is still alive - a girl born in 1933.

The ceremony also marked the begining of an economic revival programme of the newly integrated three municipalities of Somerset, Cookhouse 
and Pearston - under the auspices of the Blue Crane Development Forum.The ceremony was also attended by Mrs Mitta Vuurnell who is 107 years 
old, and several other grannies of over ninety years.


Caption:From Right to left- MEC Ncumisa Kondlo for Welfare, Mrs. Dora Dotyi Jacobs 120, Mrs. Dora Ntlangulela of Kokstad and Mrs. Mitta 
Vuurnell at Somerset East Show Grounds on Sunday  01 October 2000  the International Day for Older Persons



Helping World Grannies to blow the candles: Somerset East Mayor Zola Tesana, 120 year-old Ma-Dora Jacobs of Somerset East, MEC Ncumisa 
Kondlo of Welfare and Ma-Dora Ntlangulela of Kokstad at a ceremony to mark the end of the Heritage Month and the beginning of the Welfare 
month on the International Day of Older Persons at the Somerset Town Hall  01 October 2000.

Issued: Communication Division - Office of the Premier
 Inquiries:Manelisi Wolela 082-414776

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