CAPE TOWN – Last week, pensioners endured hours of waiting in heavy rainfall outside a Kraaifontein community hall when South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) officials failed to show up for their scheduled appointments.
Many of the pensioners had arrived as early as 05:00 on Monday to secure their position in line, but by 08:00 there was still no sign of officials to open the facility.
Seeing the desperation of the crowd gathered outside, a compassionate security official at the facility eventually opened the doors, allowing the pensioners to sit in the foyer where they waited in vain for several more hours.
A 76-year-old first-time Sassa applicant from Brackenfell, who requested anonymity, described the distressing scene to TygerBurger. “I never expected this. It was an eye-opener to see pensioners enduring this. The rain was pouring down, and those not having cars were forced to wait outside, not dressed for the elements.”
She explained how vulnerable pensioners, inadequately clothed for the weather conditions, scrambled to find nearby shelter. “Some crossing the road to find shelter at another building were drenched in water,” she said.
Red tape exhausting
The pensioner also detailed her frustrating bureaucratic journey before reaching Northpine. “I first went to Bellville, was then sent to Eerste River and then told to go to the Northpine service centre on this day for an appointment.”
According to written notices given to these elders as seen by TygerBurger, it clearly specifies dates and times, along with a warning that, “… failure to comply with date and time may result in an appointment being scheduled for a later date”.
By 11:00, with no-one else to contact, they rang Ward 7 councillor Grant Twigg for assistance. Twigg went to the centre where he called a Sassa official to enquire. The group was advised to go back to Eerste River on Tuesday and sent home.
Another pensioner told the newspaper that only a few of the people were helped in Eerste River the next day, and others sent home again to come back on Friday.
“They throw us around like a ball, and never have any answers. We also have no-one to contact. Many elderly sit in wheelchairs and many more do not have transport or enough money to travel up and down. This takes a big chunk from the little money we have to survive on,” he says.
Talks with SASSA to resume
The incident again highlights the challenges faced by South Africa’s most vulnerable citizens when accessing essential social services.
The Western Cape minister of social development, Jaco Londt, is aware of the situation that unfolded on Monday.
“It is completely unacceptable that pensioners and other vulnerable people were made to stand out in the elements, due to poor planning, ineffective systems, and miscommunication. My office has again reached out to the Sassa regional leadership, requesting that meetings between the department and Sassa resume as soon as possible,” he said.
“During previous engagements, Sassa made commitments that they claimed would alleviate certain pressures. We need to get clarity on rollout of those commitments, especially with the cold winter months just around the corner. While Sassa is a national entity and does not report to provincial DSD, through regular engagements, the sharing of challenges and data, but importantly the implementation of commitments made, what unfolded on Monday can and should be prevented,” he told TygerBurger.
Sassa did not respond to a media inquiry by the time of publication.
