Residents grateful for SASSA efforts

SOCIAL grant recipients have cheered improved service delivery efforts in evidence at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) offices in Ngwelezana last week.

This follows earlier complaints and concerns regarding pay-out difficulties experienced by social grant recipients, left unresolved for many months.

Pensioners especially were hard hit, standing in endless queues and leaving empty handed, a situation often forcing them to sleep on pavements unprotected since they could not afford to get home.

A frustrated resident, Ray Peyters, stepped in to bring the shoddy service to the attention of the provincial parliament.

Letters were also addressed to various ANC-affiliated cabinet ministers, IFP shadow ministers and the Democratic Alliance, suggesting that a task team be set up to investigate the chaos at the Ngwelezana offices and come up with solutions to streamline logistics.

Provincial SASSA Project Manager Eddie Chetty intervened last week, bringing in a task team from Durban to help alleviate delays.

The result was that pensioners were paid out on time, as well as being credited with the correct grant amounts.

‘It is good to know that pensioners now get their monthly grants again and receiving arrear payments. especially just before Christmas,’ said Peyters.

‘The SASSA staff are operating like clockwork and the seniors and disabled are smiling again,’ he added.

Peyters said the cherry on top will be the day he hears 82-year-old Empangeni widow Mrs Matthee and her four disabled children get their long awaited pay-outs – a case he personally pursued on behalf of the family.

‘At present we are still waiting for the outcome, but the prospects are good as their files are finally being processed. In fact she might also be getting a procurator’s allowance as she faithfully attends to her four disabled children’s needs,’ said Peyters.

‘I just want to thank the relief staff from Durban, particularly Chetty and Ian Meyer and their team for their patience and endurance under very trying working conditions. I sincerely hope their management staff will take note of the fact that they are doing an excellent job to alleviate a massive lingering crisis,’ he added.

 

8 NOVEMBER 2013

SASSA tackles social grants issues

PROVINCIAL South African Security Social Agency (SASSA) representatives made their way to Ngwelezane last week in attempt to resolve problems regarding the issuing of social disability grants.

Grant recipients had an opportunity to obtain more clarity about payment delays directly from the provincial heads.

Communications Manager Vusi Mahaye personally handled issues that have faced Zululanders in the past year, including lack of service delivery in the branch offices, payment delays and card re-registering.

‘We knew there was a need for us to personally address these concerns.

‘At the moment were are reviewing disability recipients who must go for medical check-ups by independent doctors. Once the process is completed, we will than send acknowledgement letters to their addresses. It is important that they give us the correct addresses so that we can inform them of any changes,’ said Mahaye.

He said according to SASSA legislation, no client should be sent home without being assisted or provided with a reason for any delays.

‘Officials are not allowed to send people back. If they are short-staffed, they can always inform the provincial offices and request more staff to assist.

Corruption was another major issue raised by both Mahaye and provincial Project Manager Eddie Chetty.

‘The major problem is with those people who initially obtained their grants through fraud. There are so many people who do not qualify and that’s why we are now re-registering people and taking their fingerprints to make sure that they do exist,’ said Chetty.

The provincial team will be assisting recipients at Ngwelezane sport grounds until 13 December and people with grant problems not related to disability are urged to contact their nearest offices.

 

22 OCTOBER 2013

THE lack of quality social services have left Zululanders standing, sitting and sleeping in queues day and night, creating considerable frustration and despair.

Despite the new South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) card system implemented earlier this year, there is growing concern over the general administration and effective implementation of the service at local offices.

Aimed at modernising and improving the country’s social security services and eliminating fraud and corruption, the system is still leaving many pensioners destitute.

Taking up the matter and fighting on behalf of the pensioners has been Ward 23 committee secretary Ray Peyters, who has forwarded a letter to the Minister of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Lulama Xingwana.

‘I have often visited the local welfare department offices over the last 15 years to assist senior citizens and people with disabilities to claim their pensions and grants,’ said Peyters. ‘On every visit I was disgusted to see how badly our fellow humans are being treated by state officials.

‘There seems to be no one with the necessary administrative knowledge to assist folk when it comes to correct documentation. Some people stand for hours or days in queues, only to discover they do not have the correct documentation,’ added Peyters.

He said the erection of a marquee or the use of the town hall with temporary staff would alleviate the unending queues.

‘On every visit to the Ngwelezane office, I have noticed hundreds of folk queuing inside the office passages, outside in the courtyard and on the pavement outside in the wind, rain and sun. Surely the office staff can estimate how many people they can service daily and the others must politely be told to come back some other time.

Perhaps they should introduce a numbers system or employ more staff to deal with the enormous backlog.’

However, SASSA spokesperson Vusi Mahaye said their service delivery could not be questioned.

‘There is no question of delays at our offices. These people come voluntarily at early hours of the morning before the office is even open. They know we open at 8am. There is no need for them to be there by 3am. The people who come at that hour of the morning do so out of their own free will,’ Mahaye said.

 

2 OCTOBER

Pain and hope for pensioners

ANGERED by the hold-up on South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) card renewals and delays in pension grant payouts, Zululand recipients have called for leaders to take action against this monthly hell run.

Most pensioners were reported to have spent nights sleeping on the hard, cold pavements outside the Ngwelezane Department of Social Welfare offices last week.

They alleged that some officials asked them for payment, in order to be moved to the front of the line.

Angry senior citizens told the Zululand Observer they were informed by officials in Ngwelezane that the office could only assist 20 people a day.

Due to the financial difficulties in travelling back and forth most had to sleep outside over night, risking their health and lives.

‘The told us to sleep here if we wanted to be helped the following day,’ said a young mother from Ntambanana.

SASSA regional communications manager Mbizeni Mdlalose said statements made by the officials in Ngwelezane were untrue and he called for all grant recipients to contact their nearest branches urgently.

‘We do not have a policy that only 20 pensioners should be assisted in a day.

‘We take those allegations seriously and will investigate them and dedicate ourselves to help people with card problems in both the eSikhaleni and Ngwelezane offices.

‘We are aware that there was a problem in Ngwelezane due to the shortage of staff, so we had to reschedule some of the clients.

‘However as from next week things will be back to normal.

‘SASSA is employing zero-tolerance on fraud and corruption and any employee found doing this will be dismissed,’ said Mdlalose

He also said grants would be stopped for those who did not register in August.

Public complaints may be forwarded to 0800 601011 or 033 8463400

1 OCTOBER

Pensioners misery continues

ZULULAND pensioners and sickly grant recipients in wheelchair were reported to have been sleeping on the street pavement outside the Department of Social Welfare offices in Ngwelezane for almost a week, hoping to renew their social grant cards.

A young mother of two children from Ntambanana, who chose to remain anonymous, said the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) officials in Ngwelezane have sent her from pillar to post without any results.

She told the Zululand Observer that due to her financial state, she had to spend countless nights sleeping on the side walk. This led to physical abuse by criminal and drunk pedestrians in the area.

‘My children grant expired in June this year. Since then, I have been travelling almost every week hoping I would get assistance. One official told us to sleep there, but it did not help. We queued from one o’clock in the morning till midday, only to be sent back without reasons,’ said a tearful mother.

A 78-year-old grandmother of six M Mthethwa from KwaDlangezwa, said she also had the same ‘cruel’ experience at eSikhaleni SASSA offices when she tried to re-register for her grandchildren grants.

‘Every time I am told to come back at the later date, but still I never get any help when I come back. I can’t keep travelling to the SASSA offices every time, I do not have the money anymore. All they want is money, money, money. Where do they think we get it?’ said a frustrated pensioner.

SASSA Regional Communications Manager Vusi Mahaye said he has referred these allegations to the Ngwelezane offices and waiting for a report.

 

11 SEPTEMBER

Pensioners treated with disdain

DELAYS in accessing their monthly social grants have left many Zululand pensioners in a state of panic.

Despite re-registering for the new South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) cards earlier this year, some senior citizens have reportedly not received their only source of income for the past two months.

The new biometric-based payment solution for social grants was rolled out in February by Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini.

The aim of the system is to strengthen, modernise and improve the integrity of the country’s social security system and eliminate all forms of fraud and corruption.

But for vulnerable beneficiaries, including an 82-year-old widow in Empangeni, they have exhausted every avenue for help and are now sitting with unpaid bills and minimal food supply.

Taking up the matter and fighting for the cause of housebound pensioners has been Ward 23 Committee Secretary, Ray Peyters, who has forwarded a letter to the Minister of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Lulama Xingwana.

‘There are so many people in this situation and we don’t want the public to resort to violence, destruction and unpleasant tactics to get proper service,’ said Peyters.

‘In the case of this 82-year-old pensioner, she has four disabled adult children between the ages of 48 and 54, who cannot walk and talk. Some crawl on the floor just to get around the house.

‘SASSA officials conducted a house visit and she received her card in April, but has not received an income for the past two months,’ explained Peyters.

The matter was reported to both the Ngwelezana-Empangeni and Ulundi offices, but the problem has still not been rectified.

‘If there is a glitch in the system, it needs to be fixed immediately as the entire district is suffering, and this is unacceptable. This widow desperately needs money to buy food, electricity and support her disabled children,’ said Peyters.

SASSA spokesperson Mbizeni Mdlalose said they would investigate the matter, but confirmed that the re-registration process was complete.

‘People, who have not registered must re-apply from 1 October and those who have received grant review letters must contact their nearest office.

Pensioners experiencing problems with accessing social grants can contact our call centre on 033 8463400,’ said Mdlalose.