Despite the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele’s claims that all the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grant beneficiaries have now been paid, there are still many recipients who dispute this fact.
In the media briefing this afternoon, which Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu failed to attend despite committing to do so, Minister Gungubele had the opportunity to take the public into his confidence and address the Postbank’s grant payment failure head-on. Instead, he decided to attack an eNCA journalist for revealing the truth that SASSA grant beneficiaries were being told to return to payment points at a later date to receive either their full grants or portions of their funds.
This morning eNCA was also denied access to report on the SASSA payment crisis from the premises of the Lenasia Post Office.
The ANC government’s arrogance was on full display while poor and vulnerable grant beneficiaries have yet again spent funds they didn’t have only to return home empty-handed.
The DA will keep a close eye on the next bout of grant payments set to take place in 2 weeks to see whether the Postbank’s promises that all technical issues have been solved bear out. In the meantime, Minister Gungubele should apologise to still affected beneficiaries for trying to sweep their plight under the carpet.