Today the most vulnerable in society go to collect their Sassa grants. The 21-day coronavirus lockdown has huge economic implications for people’s lives, raising anxiety amid the fear that jobs have been and will be lost.
Pensioners and the disabled must be given the space to collect their grants and to do their shopping. Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, has called on South Africans not to panic.
“There is no need to panic and rush to pay points as social grants will be paid from the 30th to 31st of this month, starting with older persons and persons with disabilities with a view to alleviate overcrowding,” said Zulu.
“All other social grants will be paid on April1 as per schedule. Both the SA Social Security Agency and the SA Post Office have finalised all logistical arrangements pertaining to social grants payments.”
The payment of these grants, as always, coincides with the end of the month, and snaking queues seen over the past few days suggest that grant recipients, especially pensioners, will be competing at the tills with those looking to stock up during the lockdown.
The elderly, who are more susceptible to the coronavirus, must be allowed the space to receive their grants and to do their shopping. In this time of anxiety, compassion and ubuntu must prevail.