Photo: Sassa News/ Facebook
The South African Social Security Agency says that it has changed grant payment dates.
The decision came after an engagement between the Department of Social Development, Sassa itself and involved stakeholders, following uncontrollable crowds and queues at retail stores and ATMs during grant payments across the country, under the lockdown.
In a statement released, Sassa confirmed a disturbing incident recorded at one of the pay-points in Gauteng.
“There was also a nasty scene in a Dobsonville shopping centre in Soweto where a group of youngsters were captured on video pushing older people in order to access payment infrastructure first.”, Sassa said.
The elderly and people with disabilities will therefore only be able to access their grant payments from the fourth and the fifth, with the first two days to prioritise the the vulnerable groups, beginning from May, 2020.
Other grant beneficiaries will only be able to access their payments from the sixth.
Sassa says that this is done to protect the vulnerable recipients especially the elderly and disabled from the same unpleasant
experiences learnt form the overcrowding incidents during the March paydays.
“To effect this SASSA will make use of two payment files. The first one will cover the aged and the disabled while the second payment file will cover all other grant types.”, the agency explained.
For some older persons using one card to also receive child support and foster child grants, Sassa says that recipients will be able to access all linked grants from the 4th of every month.
“Money deposited into your account is safe and will not be taken back if not used. There is no need to rush to withdraw cash on the first day we deposit it into your account. The SASSA card can be used as a debit card to pay for purchases, therefore it is not necessary to withdraw cash and thereafter purchase goods with the cash.”
Sassa has once again appealed on grant beneficiaries to stay safe at home, practice social distance and the hygiene protocol as announced by government, in efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.
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