Dates changed for grant payouts to curb Covid-19
Following last month’s Sassa social grant payout debacle, the Department of Social Services has announced that the pensioners’ grants will now be paid on the fourth day of each month. All other grants will now be paid from the sixth of every month.
These new changes will come in effect from May. The social grants for disabilities and older persons were previously paid out from the first of each month, which proved disastrous for both Sassa and the beneficiaries.
The last payout session was marred by issues such as paypoints opening late, to not having enought money at some payout points across the Lowveld. During a telephonic interview with minister of social development Lindiwe Zulu, she said the change of dates formed part of their response to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.
“We have noted with concern that during the last payout cycle, grant beneficiaries packed all the payout points and paid no attention to the social-distancing rules. Our plan is to try to lessen the spread of the virus. We cannot achieve this if our people, especially grant beneficiaries, flock to payout centres in large numbers. We are hoping that with the changing of the dates we will not experience the same problems again,” explained Zulu.
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She pleaded with grant recipients, especially during this time, to also play their part in curbing the spread of the virus by avoiding going to payout centres all at the same time. “It is important that recipients remember to keep to the social-distance rules when queueing for their money and always adhere to the health precautions that are there. This will save many lives,” she cautioned.
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