‘Voucher’ seekers sabotage Sassa Roodepoort’s services
Some believe vouchers were promised by the ANC, others call it a government handout.
Fist fights broke out in queues at the Roodepoort Sassa offices where certain ‘voucher’ seekers have been sabotaging residents who go there on regular Sassa business.
The record has been bombarded with phonecalls from people complaining about not being able to either obtain, replace or use their cards at Roodepoort’s Sassa offices since Wednesday 30 April.
From the majority of the conversations it became clear that two things are sabotaging service delivery to them – the fact that crowds of people have been arriving and demanding ‘vouchers’ from the office and that the office has responded by simply closing its doors, refusing to help anyone.
The record investigated on Monday afternoon 5 May.
Conversations with both customers and voucher-seekers provided no clear answer as to who had promised the vouchers. Many voucher seekers believe it to be an ANC-driven campaign, whereas others believed that Sassa itself was handing out such vouchers. In most cases seekers had heard the rumour about the vouchers from either a family member or a fellow seeker. These vouchers are said to be handed out every day at the Roodepoort office specifically until the end of July.
An elderly Witpoortjie resident was disgusted by the scene and left because she was convinced that she would not be able to replace her Sassa card – stolen during a hijacking – before the end of July. A Roodepoort CBD resident made a return visit every day since Wednesday, hoping to get a voucher.
“I’ve heard that some people have been sleeping outside the offices, hoping to be the first in line for the voucher the next morning.
“An ANC member decided to make a list [of voucher seekers] to ease the process of getting them, but no one has been able to get into the office since Wednesday.
“An ANC official arrived on the scene today and entered the office. When he came out, he confirmed that they would be helping us only from Thursday, so I left.”
The resident said that the voucher allegedly was worth R1 300, and is similar to an alleged cash handout of R930 just before the previous national elections.
Neither ANC Councillor Willie van der Schyf or DA Councillor Gert Niemand had any knowledge of the vouchers.
“It is definitely not an ANC-driven thing, I don’t carry any knowledge of it,” said Van der Schyf, while Niemand said, “No food parcels being handed out.
“Sassa themselves contacted me about the chaos that peaked on Friday afternoon, and I simply told them to carry on with the legal processes and services as normal.
“I don’t know of any such handout from government, but have also heard that it is an ANC-driven political campaign every year before elections.”
Sassa communications officer Steve Mabona also knew noting about the situation at the Roodepoort office, but said that “there are no vouchers, only social grants, and there are requirements and a process in order to obtain that”.
He requested that a list of questions regarding the Roodepoort office situation be sent to him.
