Tzaneen to be focus point in Limpopo when SASSA payments start tomorrow

With SASSA payments to the elderly to start tomorrow, special precautions will be taken in the Tzaneen area as a man who tested positive for the Coronavirus might have put many residents and travellers at risk.

Limpopo MEC for Social Development, Nkakareng Rakgoale, will be monitoring the payment of social grants for older persons and persons with disabilities herself at certain pay points.

Social development spokesperson, Witness Tiva said that Tzaneen has been in the spotlight since Saturday. A man, who was arrested in a village 25 km outside of Tzaneen, allegedly travelled from Gauteng on Thursday, a day before the country went into a 21-day national lockdown. He was allegedly tested at a factory where he works on Wednesday, but instead of self-quarantining until his test results become available, he took a 22-seat taxi to Tzaneen. Tzaneen is a four to five hour drive from Gauteng. He then took a second taxi and travelled a further 25 km to a village outside of Tzaneen. Tracer teams found him after his results became known. He was allegedly seen around taverns on Thursday night.

The MEC will join SASSA and SAPO to ensure that the social distancing rule is followed and that hygiene measures are practiced to stop the spread of COVID-19 as hundreds of beneficiaries are expected to flock to the pay points and retail shops to get their money. “Every beneficiary is encouraged to use the facilities available to the SASSA/SAPO debit cards and to swipe the cards to pay for purchases, rather than to withdraw cash,” he said.

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The MEC’s monitoring of paypoints will be at the Post Office in Lenyenye, Maake Plaza in the Greater Tzaneen Municipality, Mathlakung Plaza in Maruleng Municipality and Masingita Mall in the Greater Giyani Municipality in the Mopani District.