The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has urged beneficiaries to ensure they adhere to the Covid-19 regulations by ensuring they avoid overcrowding and long queues.
THE SOUTH African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has urged beneficiaries to ensure they adhere to the Covid-19 regulations by ensuring they avoid overcrowding and long queues.
The provincial spokesperson of Sassa, Siyabulela Mahangu said the agency has observed overcrowing at various social grant pay points.
Mahangu said overcrowding at pay points is a concern.
“Sassa advises social grant beneficiaries to use their nearest pay points when collecting various grants. Pay points, however, are not the only social grant payment outlets. To avoid the long queues beneficiaries can also use supermarkets or merchants or ATM’s to withdraw their grants. Beneficiaries can also swipe their Sassa cards to pay for their purchased goods,” said Mahangu.
He said by doing this it will decrease the chances of beneficiaries getting infected with Covid-19.
“South Africa is experiencing a rise in cases of Covid-19 infections and unfortunate deaths. It is therefore critical for Sassa to take extra precautions, which is why we urge our clients to use nearby pay points and avoid long queues. For their own safety, beneficiaries are advised to avoid large groups of people and rather wait for quiet times to access their grants. Social grant money is guaranteed to remain safe in the cards of beneficiaries. They may use the money as they require and not necessarily on the first day of grant payments,” he said.
Mahangu urged those who do visit the pay points to adhere to the Covid-19 regulations.
“A part of ensuring that queues are well managed and the spread of Covid-19 is curbed, beneficiaries are urged to wear their masks at all times, to sanitise their hands and to observe social distancing,” Mahangu said.
