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SASSA beneficiaries from Namaqualand and other rural areas of the Northern Cape are forced to use almost half of their grant payouts for transport to access their social grants in other towns. This while the cost-of-living, food and fuel prices continue to soar.

Residents from Hondeklip Bay, Koingnaas, Soebatsfontein and Spoegriver, pay up to R450 for taxifare to and from Springbok to withdraw their social grants from the ATM in the town.

At the same time, residents from Marydale travel 75 kilometers to the nearest social grant paypoint situated in Prieska due to the closure of the Marydale Post Office in October last year.

Due to the lack of SASSA offices in Sutherland, residents from the town also travel over 136 kilometers to apply for SASSA grants at the Williston branch.

Last year, the DA also questioned the MEC for Social Development, Nontobeko Vilakazi, on why the social grant paypoints were removed in Rietfontein. This forced beneficiaries to travel over 260 kilometers to withdraw their social grants in Upington. A year later, and the situation remains unchanged with beneficiaries still paying up to R400 for transport to and from Upington.

It is tragic that the uncaring ANC government disregards the poorest of the poor, who have no choice but to forfeit excessive portions of their grants, on travelling fees every month.

The situation is increasingly widespread, with the ongoing post office closures. It is particularly worrying that only 11 South African Post Office (SAPO) paypoints are within 10 kilometers of an alternative social grant paypoint in the Northern Cape. This means that most residents in our predominantly rural province have to dig even deeper into their already overburdened pockets for travelling costs to access their payouts.

Vulnerable individuals and households who have experienced socio-economic shocks and are facing hunger, deserve the support required to recover from financial difficulties and put food on the table, not money in the pockets of transport operators.

The ANC repeatedly proves that social grants are not safe in its hands and that it is incapable of efficiently and transparently utilizing taxpayers’ funds to ensure the continued provision of social welfare programmes.

The DA is committed to protecting and continuing social grants. We urge all South Africans to vote for the only party that will rescue everyone’s social grant from mismanagement and corruption.

Issued by Isak Fritz, MPL - DA Northern Cape Premier Candidate