Social grant recipients are still reporting deductions being made from their monthly grants ostensibly for “pre-paid air time, electricity vouchers, etc” which they have no knowledge of.
“Last year there were numerous complaints from grant recipients around this issue and we raised it SASSA and was given the assurance that it has stopped all deductions until their investigations have been
completed. It is therefore of serious concern to us as to how SASSA now allows these deductions to continue. Unsolicited deductions of this nature are illegal and should not be allowed to continue. SASSA and the Department of Social Development embarked on an extensive drive to re-register all social grant recipients with the express intention of ridding the system of fraudulent grants and other corrupt activities but we now see that system is still vulnerable to fraud. It would appear that officials within the system have found a way to rob clients in the hope that they will not get caught”, said IFP Spokesperson on Social Development, Mrs Ncamisile Nkwanyana MPL.
“We urge SASSA to stop these illegal deductions and to speed up its investigation in the interest of all grant recipients. To those who have no other income and are dependent on their monthly grants every single rand means a lot and they cannot afford to be short-changed by unscrupulous officials. People who are destitute depend on the state to protect their rights and therefore swift and decisive intervention on the part of SASSA and its investigators is needed. We demand that all those who have been defrauded must be reimbursed as soon as possible. We will not allow our people to be robbed of what is due to them and let the culprits get away with their illegal activities”, concluded Mrs Ncamisile Nkwanyana
The IFP urges all those grant recipients who have had money deducted from their grants to report it at their pay points and to obtain a reference number so that they can follow up and get refunds once the investigations are complete.
