SASSA beneficiaries, hawkers voice concerns

Grant beneficiaries, the elderly and those living with disabilities have grave safety concerns over being targeted when withdrawing their monies at ATMS or shopping centres and malls, it surfaced during a protest held in the CBD last week.

The group marched with street hawkers who used to sell their goods at physical Sassa paypoints on grant collection days, but whose operations had been shut down at the start of April. The group voiced their concerns last Wednesday during a march to the Premier, Chupu Mathabtha’s office in the city, in demand that he escalates their memorandum of demand for the reversal of the closures, to the Presidency.

The rollout of the new national payment system sees grant money paid directly into recipients’ personal bank accounts or Sassa Gold/Postbank accounts withdrawable at

‘at any place that accepts a bank card’ as described by the Post Office.

In recent months, the group held a similar demonstration to the provincial Social Development office, while the Post Office also announced that the change was effected by the drastic drop in the use of the old system by the majority of beneficiaries, who have since found comfort in the withdrawal of their monies at convenient shopping centres or malls.

Elected to speak to the media on behalf of grant beneficiaries along with affected hawkers, Noko Motibane told Polokwane Observer that those without reliable people to accompany them to withdraw money, often find themselves robbed of their belongings and they fear it could get worse.

“Such a group of people is not savvy with the use of technology and may not always have someone reliable around to assist. Imagine what will become of them when they have to withdraw or ask for cashback from what they may not know to be crooked shop assistants?” he asked.

He confirmed that some hawkers have lost out on business in the vicinity of the Post Office on pay days.

Provincial Government spokesperson Ndavhe Ramakuela received a memorandum of demands on the premier’s behalf and is expected to revert soon.