Grants to be reinstated for EPWP workers

THE Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) employees who had their grants suspended were one of the recipients who would be reinstated and start receiving payments in December.

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) said that during September, a routine check of Persal and Persol systems revealed that a number of public servants were receiving social grants while Sassa did not have updated information on their income.

Sassa spokesperson Sandy Godlwana said they suspended 165 297 grants nationally and 74 871 in Kwazulu-natal in line with the regulations.

Godlwana said the majority of the grants suspended were for employees who appear in the government employees’ payment system Persal such as interns, EPWP, Amakhosi, Izinduna and general workers and Persol (armed forces).

In order for affected beneficiaries to continue receiving grants, in line with regulations, Sassa has deemed it necessary that all these beneficiaries should be assessed in terms of qualification criteria. These assessments would be conducted at local Sassa offices.

“In some instances, a medical examination will also be required. Grant payments are made only to those citizens who meet the qualifying criteria. We are in the process of reconsidering the individual circumstances of public servants whose social grants were suspended.”

Sassa national spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said it had since come to Sassa’s attention that many of those whose grants were suspended were in fact interns, EPWP workers and general workers, whose income would not exclude them from receiving the grant.

Public Service and Administration director-general Yoliswa Makhasi has urged public servants to refrain from fraudulent attempts to benefit from the R350 Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.

Makhasi condemned public servants who saw nothing wrong with applying for the grant, while they have a source of income.

“The SRD is intended to provide relief to the poor and financially distressed citizens in the country. ”

Approximately 40 000 public servants applied for the R350 relief grant in May last year, and 241 of the public servants received the grant.