SASSA Latest News Today 18th February 2023
In todays latest SASSA News – The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) distributes monthly social support grants to more than 25 million people. Those that get grants do so on set days at the start of each month.
The Postbank has had a number of technical difficulties in recent months that have delayed the distribution of grants. Because of this, people who received grants had to come up with creative ways to get their hands on the money.
These issues have plagued grantees for a while now, and they haven’t let up this month. Those who need grants but live far from the Sassa offices in Bellville, Western Cape, often have to wait in line overnight to get help.
Sharna Fernandez, MEC of Social Development in Western Cape, says that her office is swamped with grantees’ complaints, many of which have to do with not being paid. Whenever Postbank is involved, this occurs frequently.
Fernandez has called on Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu to intervene because of the mess she has seen in the Sassa offices.
A representative of the organization remarked, “It most certainly does not lend itself to dignity and well-being, and the most vulnerable are impacted because they do not have that cab fee to even come here, and guess what happens when they get here? They get turned away.”
In order to offer a competitive and cost-effective alternative to traditional commercial banks, President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed earlier this month that the National Parliament is currently debating the Postbank Amendment Bill and that the Postbank is revising its service offerings accordingly.
Fernandez is concerned about how people who receive grants and other essential social support measures would be able to get their monthly payments if the Post Office cannot be managed.
The Postbank will be corporatized, as the president in Sona has signaled. Fernandez questioned, “Where and how are we going to land this money with the most vulnerable in the quickest possible time if we can’t even manage the South African Post Office since they are closing in droves?”
Whenever problems emerge with grant payments, Sassa has advised recipients to withdraw cash from stores or ATMs. Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Pick n Pay, and Boxer are just a few of these stores.
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