Traditional healers and the Council of Traditional Leaders of South Africa are lobbying the government to reverse the decision to close SASSA cash points, especially in rural areas, as many old-age pensioners do not know how to use banks.
. Now that we’re into the second quarter of the year, all SASSA cash points are now officially closed. But not everyone – especially traditional healers – is happy about the change … SASSA grants are disbursed each month to upwards of 4-million old-age pensioners . Image: File
According to the agency, SASSA cash points have been slowly phased out due to safety and complication. It’s understood that out of the more thanreports that the Council of Traditional Leaders of South Africa is lobbying the government to reverse the decision, especially in rural areas. The issue being, says council president Mathupha Mokoena, that many old-age pensioners simply don’t know how to use banks.On the other side of the argument, SASSA says it’s too late to reverse the decision.
The alternative is SASSA’s rollout of a national payment system that deposits grants directly into bank accounts. However, Mokoena from the council was approached by some 300 unhappy senior citizens who’d normally collect their SASSA money from the Mathibela tribal council in Mpumalanga.Traditional leaders say they will mobilise forces to reverse the decision. Image: File
As a result, traditional leaders say they will mobilise forces to oppose the closure. It was an ‘error in judgment’ by the agency, says Mokoena. Transport to banks and ATMs in remote areas is difficult for pensioners would need to collect their grants each month. GroundUp reports that SASSA’s Paseka Letsatsi says it’s too late to challenge the decision now. “It would cost the government billions to reverse this decision. It would be illogical to revert to legacy systems that take us backwards. Also reverting only for the last few people who were affected by closures would be unfair for the 99.6% of our clients who have already adapted over the last five years,” said Letsatsi.
SASSA Cash Points Traditional Healers Council Of Traditional Leaders South Africa Old-Age Pensioners Rural Areas Banks
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