Recipients of Old Age, Disability and War Veterans grants can apply for a Grant-in-aid
'We care about the condition of some frail elderly people not receiving proper tender care' – SASSA.
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has noted with concern that most frail recipients of an Old Age grant, Disability grant and War Veterans grant do not come to SASSA offices to apply for a Grant-in-aid.
“SASSA cares about the condition of some frail elderly people not receiving proper tender care, which can be ascribed to many social ill factors in some communities,” said Senzeni Ngubeni, the Mpumalanga SASSA spokesperson.
Senzeni added that one of SASSA’s primary objectives is to create awareness among families with frail grant recipients to let them come to any nearby SASSA office to apply for this additional grant meant to assist in paying extra medical bills, nutritious food and the services of the person taking care of the frail grant recipient, amongst others.
It must be noted that in order to qualify, the applicant must be a recipient of an Old Age grant, Disability grant or a War Veterans grant, and must require regular attendance by another person owing to his/ her physical or mental disabilities.
“The person must not be cared for in an institution that receives a subsidy from the state. Applicants who do not have an identity document, smart ID or birth certificate for the children involved in the application can still apply for a grant, but must check with the nearest SASSA office which alternative documents are accepted for grant applications.
“If the application has been approved, beneficiaries start getting payments within three months. The payments will be backdated to the day the application for the grant was completed.
The Grant-in-aid will be cancelled if the beneficiary is no longer in the care of another person, if they pass on, or if they get admitted to a state institution, and if the income or assets improve so much that they no longer qualify in terms of the means test.”
For more information contact the SASSA toll free number 0800 60 10 11 from 8am to 4pm during weekdays Monday to Friday.
