Johannesburg - A group of about 100 pensioners from Dobsonville in Soweto marched to the African National Congress (ANC) headquarters Luthuli House in downtown Johannesburg on Thursday, to hand over a memorandum of demands for an increase to the old-age pension from R1 500 to R2 000 per month.
Pensioner Mirriam Zwane said they were demanding an increase in their state-sponsored pensions, free electricity, water, and houses.
“Our children are not working, we are supposed to pay R700 for electricity and R400 for rent. What are we going to eat with the R1 500 we [are] getting?" Zwane said.
ANC Veterans’ League (ANCVL) general secretary Natso Khumalo said she would find out why the matter of the pensioners has not been attended to after the party received their memorandum three months ago.
"I have their memorandum that was submitted in April and was received by one of our comrades, Krish Naidoo," Khumalo said.
While the pensioners were protesting outside the party's headquarters, ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule was holding a media briefing where he announced that the party's highest decision-making body had elected Job Mokgoro as its candidate for premiership of North West province following the resignation of Supra Mahumapelo last month.