Picketing against grant debits
SEVERAL Right2Know (R2K) campaigners picketed outside Parliament over deductions from pensioners’ social grants. They said because of the deductions and increasingly expensive livelihoods of the poor, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini has put the lives of millions of people at risk.
Vainola Makan, a member of the R2K campaign and a local from Mitchell’s Plain, said: “Minister Dlamini must have the integrity and a backbone and resign. She cannot keep on hiding behind the protection of President Jacob Zuma because she is part of the ANC.”
Makan believes that Dlamini has been incompetent in Parliament. Apart from using the grants for important household necessities, they also used it for transportation to be able to go and look for jobs, she said.
Makan said it was very far for many pensioners to walk from the train station to the National Parliament.
However, they will be supporting more people with transport.
In addition, they will assist the Constitutional Court in monitoring that the grants are being paid properly, on time, and that no money is being deducted.
“Our people have struggled enough in the past. The government is supposed to serve the people, yet it is failing to do so.
“The impact is on our people. For some people that is their only income. To have a R600 or R700 deduction from a R1 600 grant, some people only get a R100 or R10 from their pension money.
“My plea to Dlamini and to CPS is to please make sure that you pay back the money that was deducted from our people’s grant,” said Ann October, a resident from Mitchell’s Plain.
Gugulethu local, Nowhi Mndayi, believes that supporting grant holders is an important step.
Mndayi said there were many people who had money deducted for no credible reason. There is always a R350 or more deduction every month from her grant.