SASSA: Long queues, broken toilets and no service after lunchtime
People have to make repeat visits to get help at the Umlazi SASSA office
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Long queues form outside Umlazi’s SASSA office on a Monday morning. Most people will not be helped before the office closes just after lunchtime. Photos: Tsoanelo Sefoloko
People queue from 4am to apply for a social grant or to have a flagged grant reviewed at the Umlazi SASSA office, south of Durban. More often than not, they get turned away just after lunchtime because of water outages.
The township has only one SASSA office and also serves people from Isipingo, Ngonyameni, Bluff and Wentworth.
SASSA spokesperson Mbekiseni Mdlalose said the office closes earlier than normal due to water shortages – an “occupational health hazard for both clients and employees”.
“We are trying to assist as many beneficiaries as possible. Those who don’t get assisted are given appointments.”
To have a chance of getting served, people queue from the early hours and sleep on the pavement. Sherice Snyman said that when she arrived at 6:30am, her queue number was already 103. By noon, she had still not been helped to get her child grant.
“I have been sent from pillar to post. Today, I am here for the seventh time,” said Snyman.
The women’s toilets are not operating. Everyone uses the three men’s toilets. Some toilets are covered with black plastic bags and have no doors. Sewer water leaks from the pipes outside.
The building is owned by the KZN Department of Public Works. Spokesperson Steve Bhengu said the building was made available to SASSA for several years at no cost and maintenance and repairs were SASSA’s responsibility.
Mdlalose said the agency would find alternative offices. He urged beneficiaries to use its online platform instead of making in-person visits.
“Waiting time should not exceed 90 minutes when everything is working properly and there are no system or network glitches,” said Mdlalose.
Black Sash regional manager Evashnee Naidoo said long queues and people being told to return multiple times are a systemic issue at SASSA offices across the country.
The grant review process, which requires flagged beneficiaries to go to offices to review their details and get biometric verification, has strained the system, she said.
“It is the responsibility of the institution to ensure that they have the necessary capacity, who are trained to deal with this issue,” she said. “They need to ensure that they have proper facilities to deal with clients when they are serving them … There should be sanitation facilities. There should be water available for clients.”
Most toilets at the Umlazi SASSA office are not working.
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Letters
Dear Editor
At our Sassa offices, we have a problem: 18 counters, but only 5 people there to do the work. When I asked why, I was told some people are on leave and some passed away and were not replaced. Our toilets are smelly, dirty and broken. You will spend about 9 hours trying to be assisted.
Dear Editor
The article about the queues at the SASSA office could as easily be a story on ANC governance: lack of service, public servants not working (but still being paid) and collapsing infrastructure.
Dear Editor
The staff at the SASSA Branch at Port Shepstone are very kind and helpful. It is kept tidy and as clean as failing infrastructure will allow. The system is often slow or down. But people are kept informed as the day progresses. The wait is, however, always long. We are thankful for the staff who are supportive!
Dear Editor
Reading this article is quite disappointing. Officials lack care and competency. If you cannot provide basic health and safety facilities, how can citizens expect a decent service? Both SASSA and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure should be held accountable for this mess.
There are a lot of skills development programs within EPWP for plumbing and sanitation skills. Why not engage that learnership capacity to solve such simple matters? Please take the citizens seriously and respect them. You forget that you are civil servants. Show some respect, do your work, and provide services competently to our people.
Dear Editor
I have personally queued 4 times with no luck. I have arrived as early as 4am, but always told when we're close to entering that they have reached the day's limit of 40 people, and that's usually at about 1pm. This is for a disability grant application. Now I'm worried that my doctor's letter forms and certificate may no longer be considered valid.
Dear Editor
SASSA must introduce an app procedure.
Citizens must be able to apply through the use of an app while at home. This channel will open another route to apply for SASSA grants. It is convenient, immediate and less costly. Let's promote this alternative.
Dear Editor
We have the same issue at our Bellville Cape Town offices, where there are long queues. The difference is that at 11am in the morning, one staff member will come out and tell the people that they won't be able to help everyone, but if we choose to stay, it's our choice. This will happen when there aren't even 50 people inside the office itself yet.
I feel that it's unfair that we, the people who depend on SASSA and who, in most cases, are unemployed and can't afford to go back and forth financially, have to endure this. I have been to SASSA since last year trying to apply for a child grant, and every time I get sent back home; to this day I have not been successful. They are understaffed and overworked, and I feel that it's affecting their motivation to assist the people.
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