SASSA not nearly enough for recipients?
The job market offering slim pickings
Few well-off South Africans can relate to the many struggles faced by unemployed young mothers or pensioners who live day to day, eagerly anticipating the next South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) pay-out.
For them, the end of the month is a godsend many young women in the Eldorado Park community fall into this category. There is a surprisingly small number who fell pregnant after matriculating and find themselves with no skill set and with the job market offering slim pickings.
While many non-governmental organisations are trying to stem this ever-increasing tide by providing Sectoral Education and Training Authority (SETA) accredited training in a wide assortment of fields, the reality is that many depend on the monthly social grant to be able to afford the bare necessities.
The truth is that some do abuse the monthly social grants, which is evident in the way shebeens or taverns are filled on the day. Mothers, accompanied by their infants, drink away the modest stipend and assuage their guilt by buying the toddlers a few sweet treats.
For Michelle Eksteen, the latest SASSA debacle has wider implications. Eksteen is a mother to two- year old Luciano and ponders uncertainty how she will be able to meet her child’s daily needs without the monthly social grant.
Michelle Eksteen can be seen in the video below, sharing her thoughts:
Video was taken by Enver Wessels
She is not alone. Many young, unemployed mothers depend solely on the grant to feed and clothe their offspring while working odd jobs in an attempt to sustain themselves.
There are tales of pensioners who feed entire families each month. Still, more stories abound of grandchildren who abuse pensioners by taking their entire payout and spending it on drugs and alcohol.
The introduction of the SASSA grant has spawned another evil, loan sharks who retain SASSA cards and delay queues at the ATMs by withdrawing cash from the bundles of cards in their pockets at the end of the month.
“The R250.00 I receive each month is barely enough to feed my child, but I am looking for a job,” said Eksteen, who lives with her live-in boyfriend and her two-year-old.
While those within the community who are not reliant on the monthly SASSA pay-out ask, “Why don’t they just go and work?” the harsh reality is that we live in fickle economic times. Those most affected rely on the social grant to care for their families and are no less deserving of their dignity than those who aren’t.
Others read:
- Early payment for SASSA beneficiaries
- SASSA officials suspended for corruption
- Sassa to punish grant fraudsters
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