by Anonymous on Wed, 2008-03-05 16:19. Northern Review: href="http://www.northernmedia.co.za/?q=taxonomy/term/6">News

What do you buy for just more than R800?

Maybe a small bottle of perfume? A dress or four shirts or does it cover the monthly water and electricity bill?

For Alfred (69) it is all he gets per month. His old age pension does not nearly cover his needs. He married his second wife at a late age, having lost his first wife. He now has three school-going children and he does odd jobs like gardening and painting to supplement his income. People don’t really want to employ him, saying ‘he is too old’.

Jan* and Sally* live with their children. They have a small bedroom/living room with a bathroom and miniscule kitchen. Jan worked at the Johannesburg City council and gets a small pension.

After his medical aid contribution is deducted, just over R300 is left. His wife receives a government pension and they are amongst the lucky ones. Their main meal, some fruit and odds and ends are supplied by their children. As a result of multiple allergies from medication, Sally needs to pay an extra R380 per month at the chemist for her medication. The medical aid doesn’t cover it since it isn’t generic medication. She already had two heart bypass operations and an angiogram. "She is everything I have, I can’t stop the medical aid. She must have good medical care," said her husband.

They don’t know what they would have done if they didn’t stay with their children. Jan (78) still repaired people’s cars three years ago to help make ends meet but he can’t anymore. Old age homes in the city ask from R220 per person per month for no meals, a room with a small kitchen, refrigerator and two plate stove and built-in cupboard, around R2 000 for residents should they become too ill or fragile to look after themselves. Another home, catering for the more affluent pensioner, charges R2 500 per person per month. Aretha, situated in Burger Street, houses 27 elderly people and 5 people employed at Centenary House. Ina Koen, a trained nurse, has been caring for the people since 1962. All the residents live off a state pension, which will be increased by R70 as from 1 April.

Each resident contributes R730 per month towards the household. They get donations from various people and a well known meat producer and distributor delivers meat every Tuesday. Rooms are big and three to four people share a room. Many pensioners just have to make do with only their state pension. Their children have forgotten them, don’t come to visit and don’t send them money. Others have wealthy children who send money, but "they are very busy, my dear, and have no time to come and visit".

* Not their real names.