The Grassy Park Youth Desk Crime Prevention Unit reached out to help the elderly as part of giving back for the International Mandela Day, celebrated on Monday 18 July.
On Wednesday 27 July, the team was joined by their local councillor and police to cut grass, remove rubble and mend a wall of an elderly woman in Lotus River.
Jade Baartman, treasurer of the Grassy Park Youth Desk Crime Prevention Unit, said it was an honour to assist the elderly, adding that elderly people were often vulnerable.
“This is such a great honour for us to be here at this resident’s house, especially because she is elderly. I always go by the words ‘Eer jou vader en jou moeder en jou dae sal verleng word’ to honour your mother and father.
“We have been planning this for quite some time and went in conjunction with our councillor to assist us to find an elderly person where we can do a clean-up of the property.”
He added that it was the first of many clean-ups planned in the community.
“We are making this a rotational thing and going around and seeing where we can assist to help our older people because they are vulnerable.”
Ward 65 councillor Donovan Nelson said it was important to build communities.
“I was challenged by the crime prevention youth desk and they had an idea to do 67 minutes to clean a senior’s house. I said it was a brilliant idea and I know exactly where we need to go and I can provide some of the resources like the shrubs, spades, rakes and catering.
“It all ties into making sure that we look after our seniors and making sure that we value them.”
Nelson added that he grew up in the community and it was a nostalgic moment for him.
“Aunty Gene has been in this community for as long as I can remember. I grew up in this community. I used to play in front of her yard, I used to buy suckers from her, so there’s a nostalgic full-circle moment and I think it’s important for building communities.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to be here with the youth desk. It also shows you the amount of work they do in our communities as well.”
Regina Hoffmeister (73), who has lived in her Lotus River home for more than 50 years, said she was very happy with the assistance.
“We moved in here on my 18th birthday. This is really a beautiful day, and to have all the young men in my yard. I’m very happy and I feel safer also now with all the changes they are going to do and did already.”
Grassy Park police spokesperson Capt Wynita Kleinsmith said while cleaning the yard they found knives that were thrown into the shrubs at the back of the property.
“We identified this house, where this lady is staying who has no-one to help her in cleaning the yard.
As the police youth desk we also want to tell younger children that you need to care for the elderly.
“If you see the aunty coming down the street with a packet, please help her and carry it to her house.”
She added that instead of being assisted in the community the elderly are often robbed.
“What is happening now is that they would rather rob the person of her belongings than assisting the aunty.
“There’s a lot of young children that don’t have anything to do so why not invest in your elderly?
“I mean, at the end, they are mothers and fathers and they do not have the means to do what they did when they were younger.
“It is our duty as the younger generation to assist where we can.”
