Lerato Mbhiza
Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu has admitted that technical glitches are the reason why the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) was unable to pay the grants to more than 600 000 people including foster care grant recipients and the elderly.
Zulu said the problem was caused by IT challenges at Post Bank and acknowledged that for the majority of beneficiaries and their dependents, social grants are “the only form of income upon which their livelihood is founded”.
The Minister however, said the system is now stable while addressing the Social Development Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Wednesday, and although reversal systems are slow, she promised that everyone will receive their money.
The IT glitch has left thousands of Sassa grant recipients in many parts of the country without any money in their accounts and this has affected mainly those who are still using the Sassa Gold card.
On Thursday some Soweto recipients who spoke to Inside Politics said they had not received their money.
A 34-year-old mother of four, Mbali Ngobeni said she was in disbelief when she found no money in her gold Sassa card.
“Normally I go to the nearby supermarket to collect the money, but on arrival at the ATM, there was a message on the screen showing that there was no money. I just sat down in distress and disbelief.
“The only thing that came to my mind was what will feed my family, because it is the only source of income I have. I heard other recipients saying that they did not get the money either.”
Dumisani Chauke (26) who has two children said she was told by a friend that there was no money in the Sassa cards and she had no choice but to go and loan money in order to buy food.
“After being told there is no money I went to get a loan because I needed to buy food for my family and myself as I depend on the R350 grant and the child support grant for a living. I wish I was employed so that I can be able to take care of myself and kids as one cannot survive on grants.”
Another recipient Flora Baloyi, 45, a mother of five said she is still waiting and has not yet received any funds in her account despite approaching the Post Bank which has since promised to sort the matter out.
“I didn’t receive anything but I went to the Post Bank and they said I will get the money. I need to be a bit patient,” she said.
The Postbank chair Thobile Wonci and two other non-executive directors have resigned from the state-owned bank, blaming Communications Minister Mondli Gungubele for “oppressive and hostile attitude”.
In their resignation letter to Gungubele dated 12 September; Wonci, Advocate Leigh Hefer-Hendrikse, and Martin Mahosi all accused Gungubele of interference and exerting undue pressure on the board.
But Mondli said the are fundamental issues that have been dealt with. And said as the government, they welcome the resignations.
Rise Mzansi’s National Coordinator Esther Padi said the resignations of members of the Postbank Board raised a lot of questions and proved that the government has been interfering in the inner workings of the State Owned Entities for some time.
“This disaster is the outcome of years of political interference by the ANC in state institutions. That should otherwise be run professionally to serve the needs of the South African people. These institutions cannot be saved and professionalised when the ANC that destroys them. Continues with its destruction. No self-respecting professionals want to work for such a government,” Padi said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, SASSA said that the agency’s senior managers will meet with Postbank to review their contract, but Padi said this is not good enough.
“Grant recipients are poor, and spending money on taxi fares, to stand in
queues for hours without food amounts to an abuse of their rights and dignity.
“The government and SASSA should make an urgent assessment of the true state of the Postbank and whether it can carry out this life-saving task at all so that alternative
arrangements can be made. The country should not have to witness one more incident where grant recipients have to go home without money for food and other basic necessities,” she said.
INSIDE POLITICS
