The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) announced on Monday 23 March, that in efforts to diminish coronavirus fears, it would bring April grant payments forward to 30 March to ease congestion and minimise the risk of infections.
“Payments on the first two days will be for the elderly and people living with disabilities. This emphasis on prioritising the older person and disability grants is an effort to ease congestion at retailers and bank infrastructure the risk of infection is minimised. All other grants such as child support should be collected from 1 April 2020,” it said in a statement.
Sassa informs beneficiaries of different collection dates
Sassa explained that beneficiaries who normally collect their grants at cash pay points will be able to collect their grants at the pay points from Friday 3 April according to the different dates communicated in the previous payment cycle.
“Once the money is in the account, it will remain available for the beneficiary to access anytime and anywhere as and when required. There is no need to withdraw all the money at once,” it said.
“Beneficiaries are also encouraged to swipe their cards to pay for purchases, rather than withdraw cash,” it added.
Sassa ensures number of clients does not exceed 100 people
Additional measures will be put in place to manage the numbers at cash pay points to ensure that hygiene protocols are followed and social distancing is maintained.
“Sassa will ensure that the number of clients being serviced at any one time does not exceed the national set number of 100 people. Social grant beneficiaries are encouraged to avoid areas where large numbers of people are gathered for their personal safety,” it said.
“Beneficiaries at pay points and post offices will be provided with hand sanitisers to prevent infections. All necessary measures will be put in place to ensure that social distance is adhered to,” it added.
Additional cash dispensers to combat spread of coronavirus
In efforts to combat overcrowding during the coronavirus outbreak, additional cash dispensers will be made available, explained Sassa.
“This will increase the speed of serving clients to ensure that there is full compliance with provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2020, as amended,” it said.
A change of behaviour amongst all South Africans is necessary and everyone should practice the following personal hygiene measures:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitisers for at least 20 seconds;
- Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or flexed elbow; and
- Avoid close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms.
Beneficiaries can contact Sassa on 080-060-1011 and on social media for further information.
SASSA MEDIA STATEMENT: Early SASSA Grant Payment for Older People and Those Living with Disability #SASSACARES @The_DSD @GCISMedia @GovernmentZA pic.twitter.com/gDyz972ema
— SASSA (@OfficialSASSA) March 23, 2020
