‘We are spending our grant on transport money ,’ says Mount Moriah resident.

“WE had to battle to find transport to get here and now we don’t have money to go home. There aren’t any buses. We thought we would be getting our grant today, we didn’t carry any money. By the time we get the grant, it will just cover our travel costs to get it.”

These are the words of Mount Moriah resident, Noleen Govender who was among the crowd of beneficiaries queuing outside the Durban North Post Office on Friday, 31 July to collect the Special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant (SCRD). Like many other beneficiaries, Govender is struggling to cover the transport costs to return to the post office each day. Friday was the third day she had queued from morning until evening hoping to collect her grant.

“I went to Glenashley Post Office three days in a row before coming here. We have been queuing everyday from 8am until 5pm. We came here from Glenashley Post Office today. In the morning, the decision was made that eight people from yesterday’s group and seven from the new group today would be taken into the post office for processing. At 12pm, they said the people from yesterday would be sorted out, so we were happy. Then the systems were offline,” she said.

Also read: SASSA beneficiaries can now collect grants from their bank

Govender, a diabetic, said she had struggled to queue all day with nothing to eat or drink as she kept her place in the line.”They wait until closing time to tell us that they can’t help us, so we have to wait the whole day. I am a diabetic, I haven’t eaten anything the whole day,” she said.About 250 people flocked to the post office on Friday, hoping to collect their the R350 grant, she added.

Acting ward councillor, Shontel De Boer said the queue ran from the post office up to Adelaide Tambo Drive on several days in the week. She added that the post office does not have hand sanitiser or PPE in place to protect staff and customers.

“The Durban North Post Officer had to close twice when staff tested positive for Covid-19. I appeal to businesses in the area to donate sanitiser to the post office in Redhill and Durban North,” she added.

KZN spokesperson for the South African Post Office, Nobuhle Njapha, said the Durban North Post Office was re opened on Monday, 27 July after being sanatised.

“We remind customers to wear face masks and exercise social distancing at all times when visiting our offices,” she added.

Also read: Post office urges grant beneficiaries to wait for SMS confirmation

Last week, people flocked to the Redhill Post Office to collect their special Covid-19 SASSA grants. To alleviate crowding, customers are encouraged to visit their nearest post office.”

“Glenashley, KwaMashu and Phoenix are offices closer to Red Hill Post office,” said Njapha.

In a statement, SASSA said beneficiaries can now get their SCSD grant from a financial channel of their choice. This includes cash send or e wallet payments, although these can only be paid using a cell number registered in the beneficiary’s name.

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