Minister Lindiwe Zulu addressed the nation today, touching on the response measures put into place by the social service department in an attempt to tackle issues caused by the outbreak of the Coronavirus in context with Level 4 of the lockdown.
Minister Zulu went on to reaffirm that, the measures and strategies put into place to tackle the pandemic by entering into level 4 of the lockdown, is to ascertain whether or not the country would be able to move into the less strict levels of the lockdown.
She said this decision would be based on the governments findings and on whether South Africans citizens will successfully comply with the lockdown regulations, which will assist in curbing the spread of the virus faster.
Zulu assured the public that the department of social development is working tirelessly to ensure that adequate communication is sent out to the public on a regular basis, in order to keep the public well informed at all times on all their official platforms.
She went on to praise the caliber of MECs that work under her department, that competently ensure the smooth running of the departments operations in all the provinces.
Lindiwe Zulu touches on the extension of suspended disability grants, stating they would be reinstated and received until the end of October 2020. This applies to all temporary disability grants that lapsed between February and March. The same will also apply for care dependency and foster care grants that were due to lapse during the lockdown period.
The minister also informed the public that SASSA offices will gradually reopen under the guidance and directive of the presidency, with strict safety and sanitary measures put into place, to ensure a safe working environment for all employees.
In regards to the amendment of the regulation, in respect of the movement of children, Zulu stated that the realisation has come to their attention that, traditionally not all separated couples resolve the matter through the courts, but by mutual agreement may agree to visitation and including visits to extended family and grandparents.
The government has therefore reached a decision, to allow kids to return to their parents, especially now given that home schooling is the new norm.
SASSA CEO Busisiwe Memela- Khambula has urged SASSA beneficiaries who are already receiving a grant, not to apply for the unemployment grant as they do not qualify for it.
Memela said applications for the unemployment grant have been in pilot stage for the past two (2) weeks and findings emerged that during the pilot stage, over 100 000(one hundred thousand) people applied for the unemployment grant, with 50% of the those who applied being people who are already receiving a grant from SASSA.
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Busisiwe Memela has also taken this time during the public address to thank SASSA beneficiaries and those wishing to apply, for their patience during these frustrating times, as SASSA offices have been closed. She reassured that all operations will now run seamlessly and that employees will be gradually returning to work as a safe and sanitary working environment as been prepared for them.
This is a developing story… more updates on SASSA operations and grant application processes will be shared daily!
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