Pretoria – Social Development Minister Lindy wulu concluded her outreach program in momella balanga this week, visiting the local Sasa office to engage with grant beneficiaries. She assessed the effectiveness of the systems used for processing social grants and discussed some of the challenges faced by beneficiaries, according to reporter mui masila.
The Minister has been visiting various areas to evaluate the Sasa centers where beneficiaries receive payments. Her goal was to verify if the existing systems are truly effective. However, she acknowledged there are a number of problems, including some beneficiaries not receiving recent payments.
Speaking about her visit, Minister wulu highlighted the successes with the new queue management and biometric systems. She said, “It’s very exciting for me to be in this momella Sasa office because they are one of the offices that we are using to test the queue management system and biometric system.” She explained how the new ticket-based queue system creates order and efficiency, allowing staff to better assist beneficiaries.
The biometric system is also important for fraud prevention by verifying identities. As the Minister stated, “It will help us to weed out fraudsters who come here and apply for grants when they know they aren’t eligible.”
However, the Minister did address shortcomings regarding some beneficiaries missing the recent monthly payments. She emphasized that approved grants are directly deposited into bank accounts. The 70,000 beneficiaries affected likely experienced issues from changing surnames, banks, or outdated information. She urged beneficiaries to proactively update their details to prevent disruptions.
The Minister also discussed alleged improper payments to deceased recipients. She clarified that when a death is reported, grants are immediately suspended. But the process for officially documenting a death causes delays. Any payments processed during that time must then be reversed once death certificates are received.
Overall, Minister wulu expressed optimism about improvements being implemented while acknowledging areas needing better communication and processes. Her first-hand assessments and engagements with staff and beneficiaries provide critical insights for enhancing this vital system.
