Cape Town - The South African Human Rights Commission is meeting with the minister of Social Development this week to discuss permanent solutions to prevent the chaos seen outside payout points for those reapplying for temporary disability grants.
Long queues, a lack of physical distancing and adherence to Covid-19 regulations are just some of the concerns the commission has.
On Friday January 15, police set off water cannons and sprayed people in the queue at the Sassa offices in Bellville, while minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu watched on. Officials said it was done in an attempt to get people to adhere to physical distancing rules after requests to do so fell on deaf ears.
Human Rights Commissioner Chris Nissen said the first step was to meet with the City of Cape Town and regional Sassa management this week.
“We had formal meetings with Sassa because this issue with Sassa started last year already when there was a question around processes at Khayelitsha pay points in September and October. We saw people queuing in the lines for three days and then we engaged Sassa and we managed to resolve that and I thought we would have had a permanent resolution.”
Nissen confirmed the commission had received several complaints about the service at Sassa centres, lack of physical distancing and numerous other issues and he assured complainants that their matters were being attended to.
On Friday, he visited the Eerste River Sassa payout point and said he was encouraged by the measure put in place to speedily assist everyone in the queue.
Nissen said it was important for the commission to clarify with Social Development that there must not be a repeat of the chaos witnessed at the Sassa in Bellville last week.
Nissen said: “We need to find a sustainable solution. Is there a guarantee that all of these people who are applying will get grants, no one knows? In future, do not do en masse renewals, it must be staggered because this will help the department and staff as well.”
In a report-back briefing to the Western Cape Parliament Social Development Committee, Sassa regional head Bandile Maqetuka assured MPs that the agency has the situation under control.
Maqetuka said: “All those who are eligible for disability grants will be paid, these grants lapsed in February already some of them and every month after that, and it has been paid.”
He added that while people await the results of medical assessments and payouts for their temporary disability grant they will not be destitute as they would qualify for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.
He said: “A reduced amount of R500 per person will be provided to approved applicants only, as the amount of money for SRD is limited. The support will only be provided while the clients are waiting to be assessed and subject to them completing an application which must comply with legislative prescripts.”
He also confirmed that water points, portable toilets and more chairs had been provided for the people in the queue at the Sassa office in Bellville Sassa.
Nissen said ahead of his meeting with minister Zulu, he is pleased that police have withdrawn from monitoring the queues at Sassa centres. Nissen said: “When we went to the other centres and we saw the police we asked them what are they doing here and I said to them no you shouldn’t be here. These old and vulnerable people are not rioters. Luckily, the police have withdrawn and I have checked at Sassa centres (in Cape Town).”
The commissioner said Sassa is not under investigation but the meeting was scheduled to resolve individual complaints received and discuss future logistics to assist grant beneficiaries.
Weekend Argus