M.A. (Social Work) / In recent years the increasing number of assaults, murder and other forms of victimization of the elderly in South Africa have become a topic widely reported by the mass media and frequently discussed in communities. The threatening of the personal safety of an aged person is a matter of great concern with possible repercussions on the lifestyle of the individual concerned. In this regard Harris & Cole (1980:383) accurately state "The fear of crime greatly diminishes the quality of life for large number of older people and restricts their mobility. Much of this fear may came from the fact that older people are acutely aware of their vulnerability to victimization." The aims of this study are: to determine how the aged, living in Benoni, experience their personal safety; to determine how the experience of their personal safety influences the daily activities of the aged; to determine factors in personal safety of which the aged should be informed...