UPDATE: Long wait for pension payout over for ‘dead’ north woman
North woman all smiles after received her pension since the Department of Home Affairs uplifted her "deceased" status.
The Pretoria North woman who has been waiting for her pension payout since she was declared “dead”, recently received what was due to her.
Rentia van Rensburg’s pension payout and last salary were withheld after the department of home affairs declared her dead in August 2017.
“I am so relieved. It is such a relief, I feel like a mountain has been taken off [my] shoulders,” Van Rensburg told Rekord after she was paid at the beginning of September.
Van Rensburg said she was not just happy being paid after a frustrating two-year wait, but also because she could once again use her ID.
“My pension was paid out last week. It’s not all the money yet. I still need to get my salary. I have queried the payment and was told that the payment has already been approved and will be made shortly.”
Van Rensburg’s status at home affairs was changed to “alive” in March, yet she struggled to get payment and had to reapply.
ALSO READ: ‘Dead’ north woman battles home affairs
She said she only found out she was “dead” in 2018 when her bank account was frozen.
“I was declared dead on the system for months before I realised it,” said Van Rensburg adding that though she was declared “dead” in August 2017, she’d only realised in February 2018.
She said when she went to the pension office earlier this year, to reapply for her pension she was informed: “I was still dead on their system”.
Van Rensburg said she submitted a statement that she was still alive but her status remained unchanged.
“I went seven times since June, and every time, there was nothing,” Van Rensburg said in an August interview with Rekord.
In September, to her surprise, her pension was finally paid out.
“Thank you to each and every person who helped me. God bless you.”
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