The Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, will on 4 April 2020 visit a South African Post Office (SAPO) branch in the Pretoria CBD to monitor social grant payments to older persons and persons with disabilities.
Grants for older persons and persons with disabilities, together with all the children’s grants linked to them, have been prioritised for payment from 4 -5 May 2020. The staggering of the payments is a preventive measure, under the current lockdown regulations, to limit overcrowding, ensure compliance with the hygiene standards and social distancing guidelines at pay points, retailers and ATMs.
The decision to stagger the payments aims to protect and save lives, particularly of older persons and persons with disabilities who are regarded as a high-risk group to infection and severe illness from COVID-19.
The payment of all other social grants will take place from 6 May onwards.
Minister Zulu’s visit to the SAPO pay point forms part of the government's ongoing measures to ensure that pay points and social grants beneficiaries adhere to the lockdown regulations to contain the spread of the virus.
“I appeal to all other social grants beneficiaries not to go to pay points on Monday and Tuesday as these days have been set aside for payment of grants to older persons and persons with disabilities. All other grants money will only be available from Wednesday onwards,” says Minister Zulu.
Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced extraordinary economic and social measures targeted at those most in need to assist them to meet their basic needs. Key amongst these measures is the top-up of the Child Support Grant with a once-off increase of R300 per child this month. From June – October 2020, a R500 grant will be paid to caregivers of children receiving the Child Support Grant.
Members of the media are invited to join Minister Zulu for the visit scheduled as follows:
Date: 4 May
Time: 8am
Address: Church Square Post Office, Corner Palace and Marina - Pretoria
RSVP by contacting Ms Sharlene Naiker on 082 673 5849/e-mail: SharleneN@dsd.gov.za or Ms Nomfundo Xulu-Lentsoane on 066 480 6845/e-mail: NomfundoLe@dsd.gov.za .
Media enquiries may be forwarded to Ms Lumka Oliphant on 083 484 8064 or e-mail: LumkaO@dsd.gov.za
