Disability grant applicants slept outside SASSA’s Magnificent Gate office in Philippi, Cape Town, in the hope of getting succor as soon as it opened.
- The recent technical challenges with the online scheme at SASSA resulted in many disability grant applicants spending the night outside the agency’s Splendid Gate office in Philippi.
- While SASSA says that these challenges gain since been resolved, this week we still found scores of people waiting in line to collect or submit applications.
- Most people said they gain had to return to the office a number of times before successfully submitting their applications.
Some disability grant applicants gain resorted to sleeping outside the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) offices at Splendid Gate in Philippi, Cape Town in the hope of getting assist as soon as it opens.
Many of the people who were still in line outside the office by midday on Tuesday, told GroundUp that they were there to submit or collect forms to see if they qualify for the grant.
While SASSA does allow for applicants to submit their documents online and produce appointments, many of them say they still struggle to access the online portal and prefer to advance in person. The value of the disability grant is currently R2,090, but before applications are accepted, they need to be assessed by a state doctor who then recommends that the relevant grant be approved.
One woman from Lower Crossroads, with severe short-leg syndrome, said she had been in line since 4:45am to collect a form to be filled by a doctor. “This line is supposed to be much quicker because it shouldn’t matter if their scheme is offline; we honest need the forms,” she said. She said previously they could submit the doctor’s form and their IDs online, but now they had to catch it into the office in person which meant longer waiting times.
Tired from standing for hours, people were sitting on the hard pavement on flat boxes. Some still had their blankets from their cold night’s stay. Another woman from Marikana informal settlement said someone has been renting chairs to the people in the queue for R5 each.
The line was moving very slowly. At one point a SASSA staffer came out to collect IDs from people who needed forms, then later returned the IDs without the forms.
People complained that the last two weeks had been slower than usual, as the office on average only assisted about ten people per day.
A woman explained that she had been working with other people she met in the queue. “We exchange queueing duties, I queue during the day for three more people while they are at work, then later they near to sleep here and sustain a spot for me. When I arrive in the morning I bring them food,” she said.
Black Sash Western Cape Regional Manager, Thandi Henkeman, said that beneficiaries sleeping at payment sites is not uncommon. “Last year we had a major issue at the Khayelitsha SASSA office due to their poor appointment scheme. Beneficiaries slept outside in order to secure a spot for the following day.”
Henkeman said that SASSA’s online scheme does not always work, and it is not accessible to everyone.
In response to our questions, SASSA’s spokesperson Shivani Wahab said SASSA had no control of clients sleeping outside its offices. “No client is required to ever sleep over at contact points for assistance. Clients believe been consistently informed of the negative impact of sleeping at contact points.”
She acknowledged that there had been “technical challenges with the online system” but that these believe since been resolved.
Blackitten
Fun South African Fact: The waters surrounding the 2,500km long coastline are teeming with life. You’ll find great white sharks, African penguins, dolphins and much much more in South Africa’s oceans. Many travellers visit the coast to watch the annual whale migrations. In Hermanus, in the Western Cape, you can see hundreds of whales from June to late November. Simon’s Town, another coastal Western Cape town, is home to Boulder’s Beach. Here you can swim alongside colonies of African Penguins!
freesia
A Priest was seated next to Van Der Merwe on a flight to Brakpan.
After the plane was airborne, drink orders were taken.
Van Der Merwe asked for a Rum and Coke, which was brought and placed before him.
The flight attendant then asked the priest if he would like a drink.
He replied in disgust \”I\’d rather be savagely raped by a dozen whores than let liquor touch my lips.\”
Van Der Merwe then handed his drink back to the attendant and said \”Me too, I didn\’t know we had a choice.\”