Durban — MEC for Transport Community Safety and Liaison Sipho Hlomuka explained that the commemoration and gathering was part of a program that was adopted by the KZN legislature.
Hlomuka had been speaking on behalf of KZN Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube in Mzinyathi district under eNdumeni Local Municipality where he addressed those gathered following the Senior Citizens' Parliament on Friday in the area.
“The legislature has undertaken a program to take the Legislature to the people, and this program is part of that program that was adopted by the legislature,” explained Hlomuka of Saturday’s gathering.
He said that the provincial executive council led by the Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube decided to have the gathering to appreciate the role played by senior citizens of KwaZulu-Natal.
He said there were a number of programs both provincially and nationally where government was working with senior citizens.
“We are always going to tap into their wisdom, because we believe that their wisdom is going to assist us as KwaZulu-Natal to try have a peaceful province, we are going to try and engage all stakeholders under the leadership of premier Dube-Ncube to try and assist our people.”
Hlomuka said that government alone could not work to strengthen the moral fibre of society as this needed everyone to work together -- including teachers.
“We are committed to work hand in hand with senior citizens to build a peaceful province in a bid to teach the younger generation so that they can have a better future.”
He condemned behaviour where teachers were hit by pupils, something he said spoke volumes about the kind of homes these children came from.
“Teachers spend more time with children at school than they do at home, Teachers must treat them like their own children and children must treat teachers like their parents.”
Daily News