Social distancing not exercised at pension payout points
In preparation for the lockdown, social security agency SASSA began paying grants earlier from Monday to accommodate beneficiaries
PEOPLE with disabilities and elderly grant beneficiaries flocked to the Richards Bay central business district on Monday, forming long, winding queues outside different shopping centres and the Post Office to access their grants.
As the country entered its fourth day of the 21-day lockdown to curb the spread of Covid-19, hundreds of people were seen congregating in the business hub without exercising any social distancing measures.
In preparation for the lockdown, social security agency SASSA began paying grants earlier from Monday to accommodate beneficiaries.
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By 9:30am, SASSA said about R1-million in grants had been paid at the post offices, ATMs and retail stores.
To accommodate the social grant payments, Transports Minister Fikile Mbalula amended the public transport directions under the National State of Disaster to relax the operating hours and allow public transport vehicles to operate from 5am to 8pm until Friday.
‘Having considered Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu’s request and representations made by various industry bodies, including the taxi industry, I have decided to amend the Public Transport Directions in order to accommodate grant beneficiaries,’ said Mbalula.
Other beneficiaries will be able to access their grants from Wednesday.
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