Elderly experience unfair grant deductions
A discontented Maureen Reeve, from the Annie Burger Old Age Home, said pensioners used to get the whole amount but that a R17.97 transaction fee is now being deducted.
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – A R17.97 transaction fee is being deducted from the paltry R1 410 older persons grant.
A discontented Maureen Reeve, from the Annie Burger Old Age Home, said pensioners used to get the whole amount but that a R17.97 transaction fee is now being deducted.
“After you have paid everything from rent, medication, groceries, a funeral plan, etc. you are left with literally nothing. You do not even have the luxury of buying a chocolate slab. Is that life? Our loved ones bail us out on those luxuries. The deductions need to stop, really,” explained Maureen.
The case of Adamma Mainstry, a widow and resident of the Reuven Complex Old Age Home, was brought to the newspaper’s attention by Jerry Theys, another resident of Reuven. Adamma, who is confined to a wheelchair, said she noticed that R100 has been deducted from her monthly grant for over a year. When she enquired at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) offices, she was told it was for the airtime she used. She refuted this claim as she hardly uses her cellphone. “I find it so difficult to survive on my meager pension, after paying my
rent of R234 and electricity of about R350 there is very little money left just for medication and food,” Adamma said.
“Being disabled, it is difficult to travel by bus; I don’t like asking anyone to transport me to the SASSA office because of the long queues I might have to wait there almost the whole day. I thus decided not to bother and suffer the unfair loss but with the high cost of living I am compelled to find out who is responsible for deducting the R100 every month, someone is enriching him- or herself, while I am battling to survive.”
SASSA responded to Mrs Mainstry’s case after the COURIER’S intervention. “The matter was received and a statement requested from Cash Payment Services (CPS), the payment contractor, to assess and confirm the alleged deductions,” said SASSA spokesperson Nandipha Mosia.
“The client was contacted and it was confirmed that there was never a formal complaint lodged with SASSA. SASSA requested her to lodge a formal complaint through a SAPS affidavit, as the client is unable to transit to the office. SASSA offered to send an official to the client to assist with obtaining an affidavit and lodging a complaint.
“SASSA officials are trained to inform beneficiaries who are lodging deduction complaints of the process and the duration of resolving these deductions. Upon lodging a complaint the deduction can be immediately stopped and an investigation conducted as to the reasons for the deduction. In warranted cases a portion of the deduction is paid back to the beneficiary,” Moisa concluded.
