By Anita Dangazele
- The gogo cleans her former employer’s daughter’s home twice weekly, earning R400 per week to supplement her R2,320 monthly pension.
- She spends extra income on funeral insurance, electricity, church tickets and groceries, and spoils her grandchildren when they visit her.
A 73-year-old woman from Gqeberha has returned to cleaning work because her old age pension cannot cover the rising cost of living.
She cleans her former employer’s daughter’s home twice a week for R400 per week. The woman worked for the family for many years and helped raise their daughter.
She stopped working about 10 years ago after the parents moved to Ireland. She receives R2,320 a month from her pension. The extra R1,600 a month from cleaning helps her survive.
When she realised her daughter’s salary and her pension was not enough for their family, she contacted her former employer to ask for work recommendations.
“I used to work for her parents, I practically raised her,” she said.
They told her their daughter was still in Gqeberha and willing to help. “That is how I began working again,” she said.
Despite her age, she feels strong and capable.
“I am very energetic and healthy for my age. I don’t suffer from things like high blood pressure or diabetes. My only issue is that I have arthritis but I’m generally healthy,” she said.
She uses the extra money for funeral insurance, electricity, church tickets and contributions. She also helps her daughter with groceries.
Earning her own money gives her independence.
“When you grow older, you constantly have to ask your children for things but for me it was hard because I’ve always been self reliant and depending on children made me unhappy,” she said.
She can now spoil her grandchildren when they visit.
“As a grandparent it’s nice to be able to spoil your grandchildren, I am able to spoil myself and my grandchildren with my little income,” she said.
Many older people carry heavy family responsibilities.
“It’s really sad that most people my age find themselves having to take care of their adult children because there are no jobs and food is even more expensive,” she said.
Pictured above: A pensioner.
Image source: Pexels
