Those who abuse social grants must be stopped

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is a lifeline for many households with child support, pension and disability grants.

These are used to put food on the table, keep the lights on and – as minimal as they are – help families survive from one day to the next.

But there are some who abuse the grants: the money is seen as pocket money, hair salon funds and funding for the night out at the tavern or clubs.

A while back, a friend and I were queuing to pay for a few items at a grocery shop. The queues snaked around the aisles – we were lucky to be fifth in line and didn’t bother to ask why others didn’t join the fast-moving line. But then a lady announced our queue was for Sassa withdrawals only.

And thinking about that queue what springs to mind now was the beautiful hairstyles and clothes. Not that grant recipients should be unkempt, but are some of the recipients really as deserving as they pretend to be when filling out their applications?

I know of at least three people who have full-time jobs but still get a grant for their children. I know of someone who was getting a child support grant for a child who didn’t even live with them…

R350 may seem insignificant, but not when you consider how many people actually do receive the grant; how many mothers leave their cards with loan sharks along with their identity documents…

In 2015, there was an estimated 11.9 million recipients. But how many are just abusing a system aimed at helping the poor?

If one can afford to have a hairstyle worth more than the grant, one doesn’t need a grant. If one can afford to call one’s younger sisters on a phone worth more than the R350, that person does not deserve a grant.

The welfare system is overloaded with people who do not deserve grants, while those who desperately need the help cannot access it.

Dependency has reared its ugly head and is seemingly growing every financial year.

We’ve allowed a system meant to help, to be abused by people who feel entitled to a helping hand that they do not really deserve.

Kekeletso Nakeli-Dhliwayo.

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