Springs resident writes by email:

Trying to get a SASSA grant has been one of the worst experiences I have ever had to deal with. I was retrenched in November 2024, and I applied for the SASSA older persons grant on January 16.

Since then, it has been a superhuman challenge to get this grant. I had to submit documents six times. The final straw for me was when I received a call, SMS, and email informing me that my grant had been denied because I had not submitted a letter stating that I am not working and that I was retrenched. At no point was this document listed as a requirement for the grant.

I became angry, and one of the employees at the Springs SASSA office put the phone to my ear. When we spoke to her again, she said I had no right to speak to her in a raised voice and put the phone down again.

Granted, I am angry, and I have complied with every requirement to obtain the grant, but to be treated in this manner is despicable, to say the least.

Since when is a letter required to confirm that I was retrenched? In February, I became paralysed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, and my life was turned upside down.

I am battling to survive financially, and to be treated in this manner by a young woman who has no idea what I am going through is unacceptable.

I was then told to resubmit all documents, as the previously submitted documents had expired, and no back payment would be made because of this. How, for the love of Mike, do documents expire if everything was submitted correctly?

By law, all documents for business and tax purposes must be kept for five years. I have been working since the age of 16 and am now 61. I have paid my taxes and my dues to this country, just like almost every other person, but being treated like this is unfair.

Editor’s note: A Comment was requested from SASSA on October 31, but no response was received at the time of publication.