Social grant beneficiaries want Sassa to rescue them
Mpumalanga News learnt that there are numerous citizens who are having sleepless nights when it comes to social grants fraud.
KABOKWENI – Not so long ago, the South African Security Agency (SASSA) in the province stated that they will work tirelessly to ensure that all the people who are receiving social grants illegally, face the music.
Since this publication started to bring to light incidents of corruption that are happening within the agency, Mpumalanga News learnt that there are numerous citizens who are having sleepless nights when it comes to social grants fraud and they need SASSA to come and rescue them.
In an informal settlement in that area, Ms Loveness Sikatane, is struggling to raise her 13-year-old daughter.
This comes after her mother-in-law, whose name is known to this publication, received a social grant of the child illegally as she went on and said: “My mother-in- law is giving me a problem. She’s receiving the social grant of my child, but she doesn’t give me a cent to maintain the child.”What make things worse, is that the father of my child is paying maintenance every month and I also don’t get that money since she doesn’t want to give me the bank card and now my child is struggling,” she said.
The agency used to encourage people to report corruption so that an investigation can start and those who are found on the wrong side of the law, face the music, but Sikatane said she was very disappointed as she claimed that she reported the matter to her nearest SASSA offices. She alleges that social workers are aware of her situation and even went further and go to the police station, but nothing is happening.
“I reported the matter several times hoping that SASSA will take action, but nothing is happening while my child is struggling and her grandmother is enjoying her money, including the maintenance,“ she said.
The spokesperson of the agency, Mr Senzeni Ngubeni said regarding this matter: “In this case, the mother needs to go and write an affidavit at the police station where she will indicate that the child is staying with her, thereafter she must come to our offices.
We will then will take up the matter as it is difficult to work on something that we don’t have a documental proof, but I want to state that the money must go where the child is,“ said Ngubeni.
