More than 25 million people receive social support grants from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) monthly. Grant recipients collect their money on designated days at the beginning of each month.
In recent months, the Postbank has encountered several system glitches which prevented them from distributing grants. This forced grant recipients to make alternative arrangements to access their money.
These challenges have plagued grant recipients for several months and continued to do so this month. Grant recipients outside the Sassa offices in Bellville in the Western Cape are often required to wait overnight to receive assistance from the agency.
Western Cape Social Development MEC Sharna Fernandez, says they are inundated with complaints from grant recipients including the non-payment of grant money. This is especially common where Postbank is concerned
Fernandez says the chaos observed at Sassa offices is unacceptable and is calling for an intervention from Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu.
They said, “It certainly doesn't lend itself to dignity and well-being and the most vulnerable are impacted because they do not have that taxi fare to even get here and when they get here guess what happens they get turned away.
Earlier this month, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the National Assembly is considering the Postbank Amendment Bill and the Postbank is reviewing its service offerings so that it can provide a viable and affordable alternative to the commercial banks.
Fernandez says if the Post Office cannot be managed, how will grant recipients access their grants and crucial social support measures monthly.
“The president in Sona indicated that the Postbank is going to be corporatised. Now if we cannot even manage the South African Post Office because they are closing in droves and we can't provide people who have slept here for 12-16 hours, where and how are we going to land this money with the most vulnerable in the shortest possible time” questioned Fernandez.
Sassa has urged grant recipients to access their money at retailers or ATM’s if grant payment challenges arise. These retail outlets are Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Pick n Pay, and Boxer.
