‘Please don’t come at night’: Minister Pule cautions elderly SASSA beneficiaries [video]

On 13 August, Minister of Social Development, Dina Pule visited the Khayelitsha and Bellville local offices in the Western Cape following earlier stops in Soweto and Pretoria Central. She was accompanied by SASSA CEO Themba Matlou and SASSA Spokesperson Dr. Paseka Letsatsi.

The purpose of these oversight visits is to evaluate the challenges faced by SASSA beneficiaries and frontline staff, such as long queues, service efficiency, and waiting times. Thereafter, practical solutions will be implemented to improve service delivery.

MINISTER PULE VISITS KHAYELITSHA AND BELLVILLE LOCAL OFFICES

During a media interview, the minister shared insights from her visits. She cautioned elderly SASSA beneficiaries against braving the night just to be first in line in the morning. She also advised beneficiaries to inform officials if they change their contact details.

“I want to ask elderly people: please don’t come at night and sit in the offices. I really want to request that, because they are going to be assisted,” she began.

“Even if they are not assisted on the day they were supposed to be [whether], on Monday or Tuesday, they are still going to be assisted on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. So that elderly people are safe. They don’t [sic] come and sit outside the offices of SASSA at night,” she added.

“Another call that I want to make is that: once there’s anything small or big that changes in your life, whether it is your address, please go to the offices of SASSA and tell them you’re no longer using this phone number,” she advised.

Beneficiaries such as Nokhaya Ndjotini had the chance to interact with the minister. She spoke about the long waiting times and called for better support for older people.

Phumla Ludziya worried about accessing grant payment services and emphasised the need for swift assistance during service disruptions.