Elderly SASSA beneficiaries suffering in silence

Sekhukhune
15 June 2020
by Mmabore Mogashoa

It is time of the pandemic but what I heard broke my heart. The elderly received grant few days ago but I saw an old woman who said she only received R600 from her grant. Elderly grant has been increased but the old Lady said that she don’t even have cent just a week after payments were made by SASSA. She had to walk back home as a result and very far from the shopping centre. It looks as if a relative collect the money for her and this month she only gave her R600.

The elderly pay society, buy food and other household things but to the old woman is going to be a long month. Are elderly people suffering in silence while government give those grants? Some of them are scared to report the cases because of fear of their loved ones. There are other parents who are taking care of grand children while their mothers are getting grant, keeping the money and still, people don’t report to social development. Is there a way that social development can help in this regard? Maybe contact yearly questionnaires to find out if people are suffering while their grant is paid monthly? Or work together with home base care workers as they are the ones who go to people’s houses?