Status on Payment of Social Grants: April 2017 - Post Constitutional Court Ruling 17 March 2017
The South African Social Security Agency ( S A S S A ) social grant beneficiaries in the Northern Cape started drawing their grants on 01 April 2017. This exercise unfolded without any major hiccups throughout the Province.
However, senior management and staff were posted to major centres in the region at Kimberley, Upington, Kuruman, De Aar and Springbok, to ensure beneficiaries' payments continue as usual. Staff were on site at “hotspots” or high influx merchants and ATMs, to pick up any queries and channel same to the regional contact centre which was open over the weekend for problem resolution on the SocPen system.
The hotspots serviced by SASSA officials over the weekend of 01 and 02 April 2017 are those merchants that have high volumes of withdrawals like:
- OBC Chicken in Kimberley;
- Pick & Pay in Galeshewe;
- Super Save in Roodepan;
- Boxer and Shoprite in Kuruman;
- Spar in Warrenton;
- Shoprite Markplein in Upington;
- Fruit & Veg in Upington;
- Boeta's in Douglas;
- Shoprite in De Aar;
- Shoprite in Springbok;
- Spar in Springbok.
On Monday 3 April 2017 beneficiaries visited various pay points (community halls, church and tribal halls) throughout the Province and will continue to do so until the last one is paid on 21 April 2017. Staff is also deployed at these pay points.
The Northern Cape has a total of about 476 000 beneficiaries spread through all five districts. The number of grants paid over this past weekend alone were 79 000 translating into R16 million. 25 000 beneficiaries drew their grants at merchants (retail stores) while about 54 000 received at ATMs.
Number of grants registered to receive at the following hotspots every month:
Frances Baard District
- Kimberley @ OBC: 1 200 grants;
- Kimberley @ Trevenna: 1 770 grants;
- Barkly West @ Al Madina: 1 145 grants;
- Pampierstad @ Net 1: 1 693 grants.
John Taolo Gaetsewe District
- Kuruman @ Shoprite: 1 160 grants;
- Kuruman @ Boxer: 1 805 grants.
Pixley ka Seme District
- De Aar @Shoprite: 664 grants;
- Douglas @ Boeta’s: 1 585 grants.
Namakawa District
- Springbok @ Shoprite: 907 grants;
- Springbok @ Spar: 710 grants.
ZF Mgcawu District
- Upington @ Shoprite: 1 835 grants;
- Upinton @ Fruit & Veg: 3 852 grants;
- Upington @ Market Square: 1 578 grants;
- Augrabies @ Water Glaze: 1 363 grants;
- Keimos @ Bray's Spar: 755 grants;
- Globlershoop @ Alstop: 564 grants.
Beneficiary enquiries to be directed to SASSA NC toll free number: 0800 003 077
Issued by: Inno Khunou (Communication: SASSA NC)