I really think officialdom in all spheres of public service delivery should reset their moral compass and compassion when it comes to dealing with the poor and vulnerable.

To read about the hardships beneficiaries have to go through for the paltry R350 Social Relief of Distress grant is, frankly speaking, outrageous.

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Who of us will travel from afar and stand for up to three days in cold rain or blistering sun in unmoving queues for that sum of money – which will be even less once travel costs have been deducted?

Yet, the desperate have no choice but to endure. R350 will at least buy a few tasteless scoops of grub for the family to at least still those terrible hunger pains for a little while. Imagine the hopelessness of a mother dropping a few stones in a boiling pot on a fire, telling her small children they must be patient until the ‘food’ is ready until they pass out in sleep from fatigue (the experience of a colleague).

That quickly changes one’s perception of the value of R350. The poor and uneducated have been subjected to dismissive societies since the beginning of mankind.

They have no power or means to change the no-care arrogance of those in control who cannot – or don’t care to – comprehend what having absolutely nothing entails.

They must simply grin and bear it. But one would think in this day and age of pompous humanitarian pontifications and the development of super technology, the plight of those in despairing relief queues can be eased.

Are managers not managing, identifying the weaknesses and fixing their cumbersome systems tormenting the vulnerable? Surely there are more efficient ways of doing things.

Call in the experts.

SYMPATHETIC PENSIONER

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