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The senior citizens of South Africa have contributed enormously to the development of South Africa. We need to honour them and express our gratitude, because the quality of life that we enjoy today is as a result of their labour.

There are approximately 82 persons in the Western Cape Province who are older than 100 years old.

The oldest person in the Western Cape is Mrs Elizabeth Fembos, and she currently resides in an old age home in De Doorns (near Worcester). She is 116 years old.

At 10:00 on Tuesday, 4 December 2001, I shall be hosting a function for 9 persons in Cape Town, who are older than 100 years. They will attend, accompanied by close members of their families. They are:

GUEST LIST: 100 YEARS AND OLDER

Name: Willemiena van Staden
Current Age: 109,8
Birthday: 2/12/1891
Age: 110

Name: Delie Skippers
Current Age: 101,8
Birthday: 3/12/1899
Age: 102

Name: Elizabeth Delminie
Current Age: 100,3
Birthday: 3/05/1901
Age: 100

Name: Annie Winterbach
Current Age: 101,2
Birthday: 4/06/1900
Age: 101

Name: Francis Kantley
Current Age: 101
Birthday: 11/12/1900
Age: 102

Name: Kathleen van Rooy
Current Age: 101
Birthday: 22/09/1900
Age: 101

Name: Maria Ferguson
Current Age: 101
Birthday: 28/12/1900
Age: 102

Name: Eva Thomas
Current Age: 112,4
Birthday: 01/04/1889
Age: 112,8

Name: Maria Mouries
Current Age: 101,5
Birthday: 08/03/1900
Age: 101

Many of the other centenarians either live out of town, or are bedridden/ill.

All the centenarians in the Western Cape will receive a R50,00 gift hamper, and also R50,00 cash for Christmas. Those centenarians, who attend the function in Goodwood, will receive their gift hamper (worth R50,00) and their R50,00 cash at the function, but arrangements will be made to deliver the same to those who are unable to attend the function.

The breakdown of centenarians in the Western Cape is as follows:

AGE: No. of Persons
100: 25
101: 25
102: 10
103: 7
104: 3
105: 2
106: 0
107: 1
108: 2
109: 0
110: 3
111: 1
112: 1
113: 1
114: 0
115: 0
116: 1
Total: 82

At the function, the program is as follows:

Program

10:00 - 10:10: Welcome: Dr Terblanche
10:10 - 10:20: Prayer: Pastor Ricky Cupido
10:20 - 10:30: Allpay: Andries de Jongh
10:30 - 10:45: Choir: Kosani Primary School
10:45 - 11:00: Guest Speaker: Minister David Malatsi
11:00 - 11:10: Handing over of Presents: Minister & Dr Waldi Terblanche
11:10 - 11:50: Refreshments
11:50 - 12:00: Thanks and Xmas Message: Mr H de Grass
12:00: Closing

The R50,00 hamper as well as the R50,00 cash, has kindly been donated by ALLPAY, which is a company that has been contracted by the Western Cape Provincial Administration to disburse old age pensions every month. I wish to thank ALLPAY for their vision and their kindness that they have displayed towards our senior citizens.

I invite members of the media/press to attend this function tomorrow, to witness and also to communicate to the public at large what ALLPAY and the Department of Social Services and Poverty Relief is doing to thank and congratulate our most senior citizens.

I trust that you will attend this function.

It will be held at 10:00 on Tuesday, 3 December 2001, in the Goodwood Community Hall, Macdonald Street, Goodwood.

Contact: Sam Dodgen at (021) 4835457 / 0828219018

Issued by Social Services and Poverty Relief, Western Cape

3 December 2001