Four injured while collecting grants as gun goes off in Boksburg

Four people queuing outside the Reiger Park Post Office in Boksburg for their Sassa grants on January 4, were injured and taken to hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds when a security guard’s firearm discharged after it fell.

The SA Post Office and Sassa have expressed their sincere apologies for all inconvenience caused to the beneficiaries and their families.

According to Gauteng Sassa spokesperson Nandi Mosia, an elderly woman is in a stable condition after being hospitalised for leg and arm injuries. The three other beneficiaries sustained skin grazes.

“Immediate forensic action was sanctioned and further investigation will take place to find out the facts of the incident.

“The SA Post Office is pursuing the matter with the security company to ensure that a similar incident does not recur,” said Mosia.

The security guard has been taken in for questioning while the incident is being thoroughly investigated by the Reiger Park SAPS.

“Appropriate action will be taken if there is evidence of negligence.”

Service

“Sassa is continually making strides to improve the provision of its services, thus clients are educated so that they do not have to withdraw their total sum at once and they are not compelled to collect their money on the first day of payment,” said Mosia.

To ease congestion at all collection points, Mosia said a staggered form of payment will continue this year, where older persons and their linked grants are paid from the third day of the month if it falls on a weekday and not on a Monday, followed by disability and child grants on separate subsequent days.

During that period, there will be no payment of the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.