TimesLive writes that SA’s elderly are bearing the brunt of the country's unemployment problem‚ with more than half of all old people living in households where everyone is unemployed.  

This and other data are contained in the report on "Social Profile of Older Persons 2011- 2015" released by Statistics SA on Wednesday.  The report describes the economic conditions of South Africans 60 years old and older.  Amongst the findings in the report are the following:  Elderly people are living in conditions that are slightly better than in 2011 due to the widespread roll out of grants‚ with more having access to formal housing and water; about 3.1 million people (70%) out of the 4.5 million people over age 60 receive pension grants of R1,500; the elderly are doing better economically due to the wide roll out of grants; but the grants get absorbed by the able-bodied as more than half of all old people are living in households where everyone is unemployed; this leaves the elderly in a "precarious situation.

• Read this report by Katharine Child in full at TimesLive

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