The City of Johannesburg’s MMC for Health and Social Development, Dr Mpho Phalatse, launched an improved and more accessible Extended Social Package (ESP) to provide much-needed relief to the City’s indigent and vulnerable households.
Phalatse will visit the City’s regions to encourage indigent households to register or re-register for the package’s benefits provided to vulnerable citizens such as the unemployed, the elderly and people with disabilities, based on their level of poverty. It was designed to help those living on a monthly income of less than R5 308.20 gain access to water, electricity, refuse removal and property rates rebates.
“This programme is nothing new but as the new administration we’re committed to ensuring that people who are supposed to benefit from this programme have access to it,” Phalatse said.
She said her department would hold open days in various regions to reach as many indigent residents as possible. “We’re looking at capitalising on clinics that have an e-health platform to conduct registrations and capacitating other clinics to offer the service.”
She said in the past, people were only able to register for benefits at the City’s customer service centres. “We also have social workers who will be going to the homes of people with disabilities and senior citizens to assist them with applications and re-registrations.”
The City’s food bank, Phalatse added, would be linked to the package to enable the indigent to receive free vegetables regularly.
“We have a food resilience unit at the Department of Social Development but we encourage people to grow their own vegetables so they don’t become dependent on the City.”
She said the City would add more services to the package depending on individual needs. New and re-registrations will be conducted at specific clinics in all the City’s regions from 12 June and normal registrations will continue at selected customer service centres.
To register, you need proof of income, three months’ bank statements, an identity document, electricity account or prepaid electricity card or meter number and a water account. The package is renewable every six months.
Registrations are ongoing, the open days, however, last around one to two weeks and will come to a close by the end of July.
Source: City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)
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