UPDATE: Department weighs in on funeral policy scam
The Department of Human Settlements gives feedback on the recent incident where pensioners were duped.
Tensions are still running high at Donovan McDonald Retirement Centre, where a group of elderly residents were duped into signing up for funeral policies last month.
Nine people entered the premises using an allegedly falsified letter from the Department of Human Settlements, giving them permission to enter and engage with residents.
Related article: Donovan McDonald elderly residents scammed
The group convinced residents that they were signing up to receive monthly grocery hampers, only for them to receive text messages from two well-known insurance companies a few days later, congratulating them on their new funeral policies.
Despite promises that all the policies had been cancelled, R210 was deducted directly from each resident’s monthly Sassa payment at the end of April.
The Roodepoort Record approached the department, which did not comment on the authenticity of the letter, but did expand on their policy regarding door-to-door salespersons entering the premises of state-owned retirement centres.
According to communications officer S’duduzo Dludla, the department does not allow any door-to-door salespersons, acting on behalf of companies or entities, to enter their facilities.
Dludla said that there is a protocol for permission to be granted for entry into the premises and engagement with residents.
“Where permission is granted for whatever purposes, the department issues a letter to the said requester, which is to be produced at the gate to gain entry.
“Permission will typically be granted for NGOs or healthcare workers coming to offer services to the elderly,” he says.
“The standard South African ID or driver’s license is generally required as proof of identity for anyone wanting to gain access to the centre.”
The reasons for IDs not being verified is currently being investigated.
Salwaa Begg, whose mother is a resident at the centre and one of the victims of the scam, was denied access to the centre in April when she attempted to hold a meeting with affected residents.
Dludla said the department is unaware of Begg’s incident.
