Carley Shongwe, deputy chairperson of the Burgerville Community Development Committee (BCDC), expressed her dissatisfaction with the lack of help from the Department of Social Development.
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“We are currently compiling a database of residents who may be eligible for SRD, but the department’s phones are not being answered. We have gone as far as obtaining MEC Thandi Shongwe’s number, with no response,” she said.
According to Shongwe, residents wanting to apply for SRD need to call 0800-601-011 and an interview would be conducted on a person-to-person basis to ascertain whether the applicant qualifies for SRD.
“We hoped to be able to help more people, because SRD does not only extend to grant recipients. There is a shortage of food during the national lockdown and many
households are unable to make the means to have a plate of food on the table every day.”
Shongwe added that her biggest concern was that, while facilitating the process and letting applicants queue to make a phone call, the social distancing measures were not being adhered to.
“A number of the residents are here, all seeking help and the process is a lengthy one. Social distancing is being ignored which makes us vulnerable to contracting coronavirus.”
Shongwe, ward committee member, Lungile Mnisi and the BCDC secretary, Marion Sibanyoni, spent the afternoon assisting Burgerville residents to get through to the Department of Social Development to gain access to the much-needed food supplies.
On Sunday morning, a convoy of vehicles entered the area, and to the disappointment of many, food parcels were handed out to about five households.
A resident who did not want to be named, commented, “There were many of us who stood in line yesterday because we need the help. It is strange that only about fivepeople received food parcels. Do we not qualify, or is the food being given to friends and family?”
According to the department, the huge demand by communities resulted in it being unable to verify qualifying individuals.
Because of this, a new process was initiated, which require that;
- Individual community memmbers are to apply for the food parcels using the following telephone numbers: 079-890-3471 or 079-890-0175.
- Individual community members must send a WhatsApp message or “please call me” to either of the numbers to apply for the food parcels.
- The names and details of the applicant will be screened and verified with Sassa to ascertain if the individual qualifies to receive the food parcels.
- All the previous lists compiled by the councillors are no longer applicable.
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