Social Grants Crisis: Hundreds did not receive grants today

3 April 2017

Today, during an oversight visit to the Rabasotho Community Centre in Tembisa, Johannesburg, by myself and other DA activists, it emerged that hundreds of social grants recipients – many of them elderly – were not going to be paid today, as the pay point was closed, with not a single SASSA official in sight.

This is despite reassurances from the Department Social Development that all social grant beneficiaries who get their grants from SASSA pay points would receive their money today, April 3.

However, by 7 am, about 300 grant recipients had already arrived at the Rabasotho Community Centre, only to learn that the facility was not even open. This is completely unacceptable.

The grant recipients were distressed not to be receiving their money as expected. Some gogos went to the pay point with the minibus taxis which they paid for, and many of them did not have the money for transport to return home.

DA activists then went to the nearby SASSA office to investigate, only to be told by SASSA officials that these grant recipients were only scheduled to be paid tomorrow, Tuesday, April 4th.

All the grant recipients we spoke to, informed us that they were never told that they would not receive their grants today.

SASSA officials then set up a makeshift poster, informing grant recipients that they would be paid on the 4th.

This comes amidst a number of reports nationwide, that some grant recipients are short of R4 from their payments this month.

Minister Dlamini must urgently explain this unexpected deduction and also account for some recipients not receiving their grants today.

This is what is happening at one pay point the DA has visited, and at many other pay points grant recipients are waiting in front of closed doors.

This is yet another indication of the mess that is the Department of Social Development. Minister Bathabile Dlamini is clearly not in command of her department. The fact that Dlamini was not removed during the President’s midnight cabinet reshuffle, while other competent ministers were, is an indictment on Zuma. It shows that President does not care for the poor nor does he care about ending the scourge of corruption in South Africa.

The fact that Dlamini was not removed during the President’s midnight cabinet reshuffle, while other competent ministers were, is an indictment on Zuma. It shows that the President does not care for the poor nor does he care about ending the scourge of corruption in South Africa.

Issued by Bridget Masango, DA Shadow Minister of Social Development, 3 April 2017