A LONG queue snakes around the block as people flock to the Redhill post office to collect Special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grants.
Ward councillor for the area, Shontel de Boer said it is concerning that people collecting their grant payments have to queue for hours amid the Covid-19 pandemic when social distancing is key.
“Government needs to find better ways of paying the beneficiaries. There should be a card payment system instead of people having to stand for hours in queues,” she said.
Gill Armour, a Churchill Road resident said the queue has been running past her home for five working days, starting from last week.
“The people are queuing every morning. The queue comes right up our road. My concern is about the congestion outside our homes and that someone is going to get hit by a car one day,” she said.
Also read: More than 4 million Covid-19 grants approved
In case you missed it:‘Many Covid-19 grant applicants don’t meet criteria,’ says SASSA
KZN, Spokesperson for the South African Post Office, Nobuhle Njapha said increasing numbers of people flock to post offices once they receive an SMS telling them that their grant has been approved.
“This often leads to disappointment as the beneficiaries are turned away when their grant has actually not been paid over to SAPO. Beneficiaries receive two SMS messages. The first tells them when they are approved and the second tells them when the money is ready for collection,” said Njapha.
In a statement, Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu, R1 billion was paid out in May toward the Special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant which has seen a total of 4 424 720 applications approved.
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