Disabled teen irked by SASSA grant denial
When I went to the SASSA office, I was treated like a dog
A DISABLED Toti teen is incensed about the treatment she received when she went to apply for a disability grant at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) office in Umnini.
Jessica Oosthuizen (19) suffers from arthrogryposis. She has club feet (her feet face inwards slightly) and her left foot is shorter than the right at the back, so the heel of her left foot doesn’t touch the floor. She has to walk on the balls of her feet.
Her hands are also slightly deformed. “I have no strength in my hands,” said Jessica. “I even battle to put my hands in a fist as my index fingers don’t have full flexion, as well as my thumbs so this limits me.
As a child I couldn’t hang from monkey bars or climb jungle gyms. I can drive a car but I can’t pull my handbrake up fully.
When I went to the SASSA office to apply for a disability grant like any other disabled person, I was denied a grant as I did not pass the doctor’s assessment. He didn’t even know what my disability was and I had to explain it to him.
I have seen orthopaedic specialists and they say my disability is treatable but in my condition it could make me worse and there is a chance I won’t be able to walk again. My orthopaedic surgeon has done more than six operations on each leg to get me looking as ‘normal’ as possible and walking.
When I went to the SASSA office, I was treated like a dog. They made me walk across a wet and slippery floor. I almost slipped and I could have ended up breaking a few bones.”
On her second visit, Jessica was told she had the incorrect documents and no-one would help her.
On a third visit the person she was to see only arrived two hours later after she had phoned to complain to the manager.
She eventually got to see the doctor, who did not know what her disability was and refused her a grant.
“I went back to re-apply for a grant, which was again denied. When we asked for my file to make a copy, they told us they couldn’t find it in the filing system,” she said.
“If anyone can explain to me how a truly disabled person is not accepted for a grant I would appreciate it. If it is a serious disability and you truly are disabled, shouldn’t you get the grant you deserve which has been created for this exact reason?
It is disgusting to see what our country has come to that a disabled person can’t receive a grant they deserve.”
The Sun sent queries to SASSA’s Umnini office, but no response was forthcoming.
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