Help needed with Sassa’s Proof of Life

I wish to respond to the article “Proof of Life Certification” I placed in COURIER last week. All my details from the letterhead was taken and printed in bold letters at the end of my article, this gave the readers the impression that I am from SASSA and that I can assist.

Responding to the article, I received an enormous amount of phone calls and e-mails, from morning to night. I had to explain that I am not from SASSA, and that I am a pensioner living at Reuven Complex, and that I am as confused, frustrated and furious as all the pensioners are.

In the article, I tried to highlight the millions of Rands SASSA spends on full-page full-colour advertising in various newspapers, and the wording is so complicated that most of the pensioners cannot understand what they are trying to communicate to us. All we ask is that they consider that many are not highly educated and the majority of the pensioners are black, and most of them lived during the apartheid era and have very little or no education.

SASSA say they will contact people via SMS or that they can do the voice verification over the phone, SASSA should know that very few people have access to cellphones, others don’t even know how to use it.

On behalf of the aged, I appeal to those who have some expertise in administration, legal and municipal experience to assist us, because no matter how much you complain to the authorities, it falls on deaf ears. Our rentals have been increased last year by 60 per cent for a single flat and 100 per cent for a double flat, and a few months later by 6 per cent. This was done without consulting the residents, who are all pensioners. The government spent billions on the installation of the solar heating geyser, this was installed at most of the poorer sections as well as old age homes and retirement villages in the Southwest of Johannesburg, but in the South of Johannesburg, it seems we are being overlooked. We have tried numerous municipal offices, City Power, ANC Head Office to no avail.

We desperately need people who can help us with expertise. My cell number is 084 782 6289.

Jerry Theys