Despite teething problems experienced in some areas in KwaZulu-Natal during the first two days set aside to pay social grants to older people and people with disabilities, the payments of grants were largely successful.
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) brought the social grants payment dates forward and set aside 30 – 31 March 2020 as special days for older people and people with disabilities, due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown which aims to contain and mitigate the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in South Africa.
The payment of social grants highlights the importance of providing safety net for the poor and vulnerable amid what has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
KZN SASSA spokesperson Sandy Godlwana said that SASSA officials were deployed to the South African Post Office (SAPO) outlets and retail outlets to monitor payments and to ensure that social distancing of about one metre was adhered to.
Godlwana said that a total of 195 Post Office outlets across the province were utilised to pay social grants, and the payments commenced by 07:30am in most SAPO outlets and merchant stores.
She said that huge numbers were experienced at all available retail and SAPO outlets across the province, where beneficiaries were queueing to get their payments early.
“SAPO ensured that they complied with the hygiene standards, by ensuring all beneficiaries were sanitized, and in many instances did adhere to social distancing,” Godlwana said.
However, Godlwana said it proved very difficult to maintain the social distancing outside the confines of the Post Offices and at retail outlets, especially in queues that snaked along the building.
This was due to a number of Child Support Grant recipients, who presented themselves for payments, which further increased number and made it difficult to maintain adequate social distancing.
“By midday we had an average of about 13 outlets that had completely run out [of funds] and nine were very low on funds. This was the order of the day as by midday close to 60 outlets were out of cash. Shortly thereafter we also experienced the system going down which [was] later restored, although some reversals were experienced during this time,” Godlwana said.
Micro-lending company directors arrested
In Howick, Godlwana said four micro-lending company directors were arrested on Monday, after being caught in possession of about 724 SASSA cards and Identity Documents of beneficiaries.
“The suspects were arrested for contravention of NCA (National Credit Act) in conjunction with Social Assistance Act. The accused are out on R5000 bail each,” Godlwana said.
The second day of payment proceeded well with most payment sites completing payments, as per schedule, and all beneficiaries received their monies.
“Outlets that had ‘run out’ of cash the previous day [Monday] received cash and prioritised payment to beneficiaries who had not received cash on day 1. Social distancing was better managed compared to day 1, and we still saw large numbers of beneficiaries at SAPO outlets including Child Support Grant beneficiaries,” Godlwana said.
Condolences to family of grant recipient
Meanwhile, SASSA has expressed its sincere apologies and condolences to the family of grant recipient at a Hammersdale Post Office. The deceased, Thembisile Mavis Njapa, collapsed on Monday while in a queue to get her grant.
“She was assisted and placed in a wheelchair and taken to a holding area. By the time the ambulance arrived, she was declared dead. The family was located and arranged to move the beneficiary to the funeral parlour.
“A social worker was dispatched by Department of Social Development to the house on 31 March 2020. We are reliably informed that Assupol has volunteered to assist with the funeral. SASSA will make a determination on any other assistance like Social Relief of Distress to the family,” Dlongwana said.
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