ADVERTISEMENT:

 

 
 

Louis Trichardt pensioner Roy Saunders is one of many having difficulty accessing their pension money due to "glitches" with the new SASSA card payment methods.

Problems with SASSA payouts leave many in distress

Date: 14 July 2018 By: Jo Robinson

Mr Roy Saunders was one of many Louis Trichardt pensioners who had a nasty surprise when he tried to draw his pension on Saturday.  

“I always draw my pension on the 30th of each month,” he said. “By that time everything has run out, and so I really need the money.” He had made sure that he collected his new South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) card in good time and wasn’t expecting any problems getting his money.

“When I tried the ATM, I could not draw anything,” he said. “The slips said either that there were insufficient funds or that I’d entered the incorrect pin number. When I spoke to SASSA, they told me that my R1710 had not been drawn and that I should be able to access it. I was then directed to the post office, where once again I couldn’t draw any of my money. I tried my old card, as well as the new one at that point. The Postmaster told me that the money had not been drawn, but that I would have to wait another week to get it until they had a response from their Bloemfontein office, because somehow their records showed that it had been drawn.”

Saunders was more concerned about those pensioners who lived out of town or had difficulty with mobility. “At least I have these two feet and can walk down to the post office or bank as often as I have to,” he said. “What about those who can’t? Or those who can’t afford transport into town? Pensioners tend to survive from month to month. Having to wait for extra weeks or even days like this is a disaster.”

In concluding a media release on 6 July, Acting CEO of SASSA, Mr Abraham Mahlangu, said: “Social security is a right enshrined in the South African Constitution and all parties involved should work together to ensure that this right is not violated. For its part, SASSA will continue raising the bar to ensure that beneficiaries get the quality service they deserve. We wish to also apologise sincerely to the affected beneficiaries and commit that these problems will not recur in future.”

Beneficiaries who encounter any problems are invited to contact SASSA’s toll free line on 0800 60 10 11 or inbox SASSA on social media. In extreme cases, SASSA will provide social relief of distress in the form of food parcels to anybody encountering problems with accessing their grants.

“For most of those who can’t draw their pensions now,” said Saunders, “This is definitely an extreme problem. I’m very fortunate and blessed to receive weekly food parcels from the lovely folk at Agape Church with the assistance of Woolworths. Most people don’t get this. I’m sure that some of them have nothing to eat.”

In the 6 July media release, SASSA stated that they had “experienced problems in paying a portion of its beneficiaries since 1 July 2018. SASSA pays over 12 million beneficiaries per month and about 700 000 of them use the new SASSA card. These 700 000 beneficiaries could not draw their money at some of the banking infrastructure in the country, notwithstanding the fact that SASSA had already deposited funds into their accounts.”

Last week amid reports of pensioners having difficulty in drawing their pensions, the Democratic Alliance said on Tuesday that: “It was concerned by reports from social grant beneficiaries across the country of systems glitches which had resulted in many of them failing to cash their monthly pay-outs.” They continued: “SASSA and the South African Post Office (SAPO), which had been appointed preferred payment channel for all social grants, appeared to have been ill-prepared for the changes to the payment system which came into effect on 1 July.”

SASSA’s release further said that beneficiaries “don’t have to necessarily collect their grants on the first day of the month, and that they don’t have to queue in the early hours of the morning at post offices because their money will be available at any hour of the day.” They said that as at the moment, 72% of the R1 billion due to be paid for July had been made, and that “the remaining 28% are mainly people who don’t rush to withdraw their money on the first week of the month and they won’t have any problems withdrawing their money.”

Mrs Kittie de Bruin, manager of Our Home old age home said: “Several of our residents have experienced difficulties, but the situation seems to be very slowly righting itself now, with some pensioners finding that they were able to draw their pensions using their old cards.”

When Zoutpansberger contacted Mr Netshifefe (SASSA Makhado manager) for comment, he suggested that pensioners with problems should go to the SASSA offices in town once again if they were unable to draw their money.

 
 
 

Viewed: 1790

 

 
 

Jo Robinson

Jo joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2018 pursuing a career in journalism after many years of writing fiction and non-fiction for other sectors.

 
 

More photos... 

ADVERTISEMENT

 
 

ADVERTISEMENT:

 
 

ADVERTISEMENT