Umbilo man in dire straits after disability grant denied

AN Umbilo man has found himself in dire straits after his disability grant from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) was denied this month.

Craig Dixon said he received the news on 8 October, and could not understand why his application hadn’t been approved after having received a disability grant for the past five years.

Dixon said he had been diagnosed with Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disorder (COPD), a type of obstructive lung disease, which typically worsens over time, as well as Superior Mensentric Vein and Artery Syndrome (SMA), a rare but potentially life threatening condition in which the duodenum becomes compressed between the SMA and the aorta.

At the time of diagnosis, he said his doctor suggested that the lung disease was most likely caused by years of working in the fabric industry.

He uses two asthma pumps, nebulises twice a day and takes pain killers.

“I was first approved for a disability grant in 2014, and have been collecting ever since. This month my application was unsuccessful, with SASSA stating approval was only given if the disability is permanent. My disability is obviously permanent, otherwise I wouldn’t have been collecting a grant for the past five years!” he said.

Dixon said he went to see his doctor on 26 September to collect his letter confirming his disabilites, and then visited the SASSA sub-office at King Edward Hospital.

There he was given a form to take to his doctor to be stamped, and from there went to SASSA at Durban Station on 30 September to apply for his grant.

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“Usually SASSA headoffice give you a form to see a district surgeon which normally takes between three to four weeks. The district surgeon then examines you and then tells you to go back to SASSA. This year there was a change – I saw SASSA on 30 September and was told to see the district surgeon on 4 October. The district surgeon didn’t check my chest or read my file, I was with her for between four to five minutes! I was then told to go back to SASSA and by 8 October I was informed my application was unsuccessful. While I was waiting to see the district surgeon a man walked past and told me no one was being approved,” he said.

Dixon said when he enquired why his application was denied, he was told he could appeal, but he couldn’t afford the transport cost – a R30 train ticket – to get to the SASSA offices and back home.

“I rely on this money. I am 55 now, I haven’t worked since 2010, and have been on disability for the past five years, who is going to employ me now so I can earn an income?” he said.

Responding to queries by Berea Mail, Mbizeni Mdlalose, acting senior manager of communications at SASSA, confirmed Dixon had for the past five years received a temporary disability grant, which was valid for 12 months.

“After every 12 months he is expected to reapply, unfortunately, when he applied in October his application was unsuccessful. As part of recourse, Mr Dixon can still apply for Internal Reconsideration wherein his application will be assessed by a different person from a higher office. If he is still unhappy with the outcome, he can then apply for appeal to the Minister of Social Development through the Appeals Tribunal, however this must be done within 90 days of unsuccessful application,” said Mdlalose.

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