Pretoria – Over six million transactions, worth over R3.3 billion, by social grant beneficiaries were confirmed by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) early this morning.
From Burgersfort in Limpopo to Matatiele in the Eastern Cape; from Vryburg in the North West to Kuruman in the far north of the Northern Cape, and Khayelitsha in the southernmost tip of Southern Africa, the Department of Social Development has confirmed that social grants have been paid.
The agency of the Department of Social Development paid R3 336 907 265 to social grant beneficiaries on the first day of the payment cycle.
“The Social grants programme is a priority of government and we are confident that as this week unfolds all other deserving beneficiaries will receive their grants. We have confidence in the institutions of government and our service provider which delivered successfully to our people today,” said Minister Bathabile Dlamini on Saturday.
During her outreach at Khadima Centre and Burgersfort Mall, Minister Dlamini urged beneficiaries to return the green card to its owners as it does not belong to SASSA.
She reiterated that the correct SASSA card bears a government coat of arms and official SASSA logo.
Beneficiaries also expressed their joy and gratitude to government for payment of grants timeously.
On 3 April, SASSA pay points will operate as normal and recipients are encouraged to go on their respective days and respective pay points as indicated on the slips they received last month. Teams of managers will also be deployed on site to provide assistance.
The department emphasises that normal business processes will continue, so any form of lapsing or suspensions that may occur may not imply a failure to pay by SASSA.
“Government remains committed to helping millions of South Africans escape the burden of poverty every month by providing social grants. We have also found as we visited different merchants that we need to protect the intellectual property of SASSA as it is abused my many retailers,” said Minister Dlamini.
Government has thanked SASSA officials for working tirelessly to ensure a smooth process of social grants payments.
“We would also like to thank beneficiaries for heeding government’s call to get their social grants as normal. We extend our appreciation to the media for conveying the message that grants will be paid today and for the support in conveying our heartfelt and sincere apology to all South Africans for the undue anxiety which had been caused in the run-up to the 1 April 2017,” said Minister Dlamini. – SAnews.gov.za
