HOUSEHOLDS affected by the unrest and looting, which erupted in KZN and Gauteng last week, will be receiving food vouchers from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa).
This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that Sassa will provide food parcels and food vouchers, worth R700, to families affected by the unrest.
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Sassa spokesperson, Sandy Godlwana, said the vouchers are redeemable at selected service providers. However in KZN, service providers had their food stocks looted and infrastructure vandalised during the unrest.
“This has worsened the situation of vulnerable and needy families who don’t have a means of income and rely on government interventions.
“In other parts of the country Sassa will continue to provide social relief of distress in the form of food vouchers to needy families. The relief is provided as part of the standard social relief of distress programme administered by Sassa in terms of the Social Assistance Act, ” she said.
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In regards to the criteria that needs to be met to receive assistance, people who are already grant recipients don’t qualify for social relief of distress. For those who are not grant recipients, an application form, supported by documentary evidence, is required for each person requiring support.
She also emphasised that the fake poster circulating on social media, claiming that one can apply for social relief of distress electronically, is not true as applicants would need to visit a Sassa office.
“Sassa is calling for calm as it works around the clock to restore this food relief programme countrywide in this hour of need. We also appeal to communities to spare a thought for the vulnerable at all times because they bear the brunt of this unrest,” said Godlwana.
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