Grants lapse at the end of a specified period, and the applicant can re-apply if still unable to work as a result of a medical condition.
SOCIAL Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said a total of 243,823 social grant recipients have had their temporary disability grants lapse in 2021-22.
“Unfortunately, the South African Social Security Agency is not able to determine immediately how many clients have re-applied, but can confirm that no client whether new or a re-application has a medical assessment outstanding for more than 30 days,” Zulu said.
She was responding to written parliamentary questions from EFF MP Laetitia Arries, who asked about grants that were frozen while recipients were still waiting for doctor assessments.
Arries also asked about the number of applicants who have been waiting for a period of more than six months and temporary disability grants that lapsed in the last financial year.
In her response, Zulu said temporary disability grants were awarded for a specific period which was determined by the outcome of a medical assessment.
“A temporary disability grant is awarded where there is a likelihood that the medical condition or disability is not likely to present for a period of longer than twelve (12) months.”
Zulu said it was only once the assessment has been done that it will be known whether the grant was awarded as a temporary or permanent disability grant.
She said the grant lapsed at the end of the specified period, and the applicant could re-apply if still unable to work as a result of the medical condition.
“No temporary disability grant is placed in a ‘frozen’ status pending assessment.”
Zulu also said there were a total of 25,952 clients awaiting assessments by medical doctors as at May 23.
“There are no clients waiting for an assessment in excess of 30 days or more.”
Her response showed that the Western Cape has the highest number of applicants waiting for medical assessment at 9,240, followed by Gauteng 5,021 and KwaZulu-Natal with 4,571.
Mpumalanga had 1,660 applicants awaiting assessments, Limpopo 1,651, North West 1608, Eastern Cape 885, Northern Cape 802 and Free State 514.
In April, 29 958 applicants were booked for medical assessments for disability grants.
Cape Times
