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MBABANE - Some people have allegedly fixed their ages, so as to fraudulently benefit from the elderly social grant.

to benefit from the elderly social grant administered by the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (DPMO), one has to reach the stipulated age of 60 years. It has been gathered that most of the implicated people, are those that had no pins on their birth certificates.

The Swaziland Old Age Grant (OAG) was introduced in 2005 as a universal grant to all Swati citizens over 60 years of age. Worth noting is that many of the elderly are caring for orphaned children in their households.

The Eldis report, published in 2010 argues that the OAG has proved to be a valuable social protection intervention for reducing the absolute poverty and food insecurity experienced by so many of the elderly, and their households.

It further states that an administrative system and institutional framework for the registration of beneficiaries and disbursement of cash, was established in Eswatini.

All along, the elderly people have been receiving a social grant of E1

IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THE ELDERLY SOCIAL GRANT, YOU MUST;

Have turned or more

Be a Swazi citizen permanent resident Live in Eswatini

Not receive any other social grant for self How much do you get? And method of payment E500 per month be paid

Cash at designated Swazi Post offices as

500 on a quarterly basis but recently government through the DPMO has decided to disburse them on a monthly basis.

The elderly people are now getting E500 per month, however, Eswatini News has established that there are some people who are way below the age of the stipulated 60 years, who have opted to fraudulently obtain fake birth certificates.

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It has been gathered that through the decentralisation programme under the Ministry of Tinkhundla and Development, the implicated people have taken advantage o it by altering their ages where they register fake ages “My mother is 53 years old but due to poverty in our family we learnt that we can alter her age so that we can benefit from the elderly social grant, to per your region Electronic deposit your bank account

NB – No cash without ID card;How to apply for an elderly grant?

Go to Tinkhundla with the following National Identity card proof of income or dividends (if any) complete form at the Tinkhundla Centre.

survive.

I know that it is a crime to do so but the situation compelled us,” disclosed one of our sources whose name cannot be published.

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Further, our sources have disclosed that this fraudulent activity is abuzz in the constituencies. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati has said that this was criminal and should be reported. However, Vilakati referred all comments to the DPMO as they were the ones responsible in the disbursement of the social grants in Eswatini. When contacted by this publication, the Deputy Prime Minister, Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku could not be reached in several attempts made by this reporter.