‘Yes, we march separately but we strike together. It’s a positive step in the right direction – unity of workers will enable us to achieve so many things,’ said SAFTU President, Ruth Ntlokotse.
Covid-19 social relief grant stopped despite pleas
By Shakirah Thebus
Share
Cape Town - Despite impassioned pleas for the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to be extended, the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) has confirmed that the grant has been terminated.
Human rights organisation Black Sash and pressure campaign #PayTheGrants demanded that the government extend the special Covid-19 relief funding, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues its devastating toll on individuals and families.
Nationwide protests against the termination of the grants took place at several Sassa offices and post offices.
Protest organiser at Bellville Sassa, Bravo Thompson, said: “No one felt happy about the grants being terminated. It s bad because, at the end of the day, how do you cancel something that is people’s livelihood or maybe food? All the people are sick and tired of the government not giving them something to eat.”
.
Activists affiliated with the #PayTheGrants campaign picketed outside Post Offices across the country on 30 April, demanding that the R350 Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress grant be extended and increased immediately.
The grant was terminated as of 30 April. This means that no new applications will be processed from Friday.
GroundUp visited Sassa in Bellville in Cape Town, as well as Post Offices in Nigel in Gauteng, Eldorado Park in Johannesburg, and Makhanda in Eastern Cape.
In Bellville, about 20 activists picketed outside the Sassa office, where hundreds of beneficiaries were queuing for their disability grants.
Beneficiary Yvonne Klaasen said that she hasn’t received her disability grant since December, even though she has tried to collect it every month. She was among those not in support of the picket because she claimed that people were “using and abusing” the R350 grant.
In a statement on Thursday night, SASSA reminded people that the “350 Grant” would come to an end on Friday 30 April.
“This means that no new applications will be accepted after this date. However, all applications which have been approved and who have not yet received the money will still be paid,” read the statement.
SRD applicants and recipients whose grant was declined for the period from February to March 2021 may appeal on the SASSA website, it said.
“If you do not appeal, the declined application will not be reconsidered.”
The R350 grant is coming to an end tomorrow.#SASSACARESpic.twitter.com/AOdID0RoFN
SASSA latest: #PayTheGrants protesters gather at Bellville offices
Protesters across the country have demanded that the SASSA COVID-19 SRD grant for the unemployed be extended and payments increased.
Under the #PayTheGrant banner, dozens of people gathered outside SASSA offices in Bellville, Cape Town, on Friday afternoon to voice desperate calls for the Social Securities Agency to extend the payment deadline past today’s expiration date.
Scores of protesters have gathered outside post offices all over the country on Friday demanding that the SASSA R350 COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant be extended and increased immediately.
SASSA SRD grant deadline not extended