23 October 2024
Lwandiso Jojiwe collapsed from a seizure outside SASSA’s Bellville office in Cape Town while waiting to apply for a disability grant. The ambulance took an hour to arrive. Photos: Marecia Damons
There was panic outside SASSA in Bellville, Cape Town, on Tuesday when a man waiting outside in the very long queue collapsed and had a seizure.
Lwandiso Jojiwe, 21, has been diagnosed with epilepsy. According to his great-aunt, Nozizwe Vena, they left home at 4am and arrived at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) office just before 6am. They were there to collect a form to take to a state doctor as part of the disability grant application. Upon arrival, the pair were met with snaking queues outside the office.
“All we wanted was to make an appointment to see the doctor in Goodwood,” said Vena.
She said Jojiwe had not yet taken his epilepsy medication, so she bought him three vetkoeks at around 9am.
But less than an hour later, Jojiwe had a seizure. Other people in the line rushed to assist him. An ambulance was called, but it only arrived an hour later at 11:30am.
Vena said they were at the Bellville office on Friday to apply for the disability grant, but were told that disability-related cases were not handled on Fridays.
“There’s no order here. How long is SASSA going to be like this?” asked Vena.
The situation at the SASSA office has become dire. Many beneficiaries spend the night outside on the cold pavement if they hope to secure their place in line to be helped.
When we arrived on Tuesday, staff had reportedly said that they had experienced network issues for two and a half hours. Service only resumed from 10:30am.
Wendy Kaizer-Philander, chairperson of the provincial standing committee on social development, conducted a site visit at the branch on the same day, after receiving complaints about beneficiaries having to sleep outside.
“Beneficiaries are being exposed to the weather and other elements; they’re not safe here,” she said.
She pointed out the lack of ablution facilities for beneficiaries. “They have to walk across the road and pay to use a bathroom. They’re already paying for transport to get here,” she said.
“Whether you’re disabled or elderly, people sleep over here. It seems there’s no intervention or solution for this issue.”
She said SASSA’s systemic issues need to be addressed urgently.
The long lines outside SASSA in Bellville.
Beneficiary Belinda Fritz told GroundUp that she was among about 100 people who had spent the night on the pavement. She arrived from Delft on Monday at 5pm. It was her third attempt to get assistance with her disability grant.
About three weeks ago, Fritz visited the office twice, arriving after 4am. She wasn’t assisted on either day. “I thought to myself, I have to sleep here if I want to get helped,” she said.
She added that some individuals were charging beneficiaries between R100 and R200 to keep their place in line.
SASSA officials acknowledged the situation. They said Tuesdays and Wednesdays are typically their busiest days.
In a meeting with Bellville office manager Edith Mokonyane, Kaizer-Philander raised concerns over the lack of staff and the conditions beneficiaries endure while waiting for assistance.
Mokonyane acknowledged the long queues, stating that they have started allocating appointments to manage the queues better.
“We understand that some of them are really sick and need money to buy medication and food,” Mokonyane said.
She conceded that staffing shortages remain a significant issue.
Despite these challenges, Mokonyane said SASSA staff are committed to improving the situation.
Kaizer-Philander said she will report her findings to the MEC and plans to involve the South African Human Rights Commission.
“No one should have to endure such conditions, where their dignity is stripped away, and their basic human rights are compromised simply to access the social assistance they are entitled to. These individuals, exposed to the elements and potential dangers while waiting for days on end, are victims of a system that is failing them. Immediate intervention is needed,” she said.