It was a day filled with excitement, laughter and ululations when Ikamva Labantu held their annual senior citizens event at Khayelitsha, Thusong Centre on Friday October 25.
Scores of seniors citizens from all walks of life braved the rainy weather to attend the event – looking young and stunning in their traditional attire.
The seniors sang traditional songs while showing off their impressive dance moves.
The event was aimed at honouring them while reminding them that they are still loved and appreciated.
Ikamva Labantu representative, Lulama Sigasana, said older people need to be cherished and shown love, especially at their age.
Ms Sigasana said many senior citizens were trailblazers who had sacrificed a lot, including their lives and ambition, to pave the way for the younger generation to enjoy the fruits of today’s freedom and to ensure that their children and grandchildren have a better future.
She said the event solely aims to put smiles on the seniors’ faces once in a while and to make them forget about their hardship and daily challenges.
Ms Sigasana said senior citizens are the backbones of many families including their communities. Thus, she said, it was critical that they show them that they were not alone in their ageing years. Through the event, she said, they were also urging them to live a healthy lifestyle and excercise on a regular basis.
“This day is for them to feel young and happy again. Without them we would never be here today.
“Today’s youth tend to forget about the critical role that these giants have played in our lives.
“We must always protect them and cherish their knowledge and wisdom.
“We have been hosting this event for years and they appreciate this gesture,” she said.
Senior citizen, Faith Mayekiso from Dunoon, said she has been attending the event for years now and she is grateful that there are people who still care about them.
The 68-year-old said many view them as a burden and very few care about their well-being.
She said now that they were ageing they were treated differently by their children and grandchildren because they were deemed as useless people.
However, she said this kind gesture of Ikamva Labantu makes them feel appreciated and they were thankful to the organisers.
Charles Mgxeke, from Khayelitsha, praised Ikamva Labantu for taking time to make them feel loved and not forgotten. The 77-year-old said at their age they feel lonely but events like these made them feel loved.
