Question NW2518 to the Minister of Social Development
31 December 2021 - NW2518
Abrahams, Ms ALA to ask the Minister of Social Development
In light of the fact that the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant is approved for various reasons, one being that when an individual and/or community is affected by a crisis and/or disaster such as a fire or flood, and in view of the fact that there are individuals and whole communities who have been approved to receive a SRD grant in respect of the October 2019 fire in Vygieskraal Informal Settlement in Athlone, Cape Town, but who have not yet been paid by the SA Social Security Agency, (a) what total number of persons are still to receive their SRD grant in each provinces, (b) how far does the non-payment date back, (c) what was the nature of the disaster(s) in each case, (d) what are the reasons for the delay in the payment of the SRD grant and (e) by what date is it envisaged these individuals and communities will receive their SRD grant?
Reply:
(a)(b) and (c) The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) may be provided as a response to a disaster. This may take the form of immediate humanitarian support when community members are relocated to temporary shelters as a result of the disaster, or a cash payment once the community members return to their homes, if the disaster was such that they lost all their possessions.
All social relief provided is done in response to a completed, approved application. The only province which experienced challenges in paying social relief in cash to previously approved beneficiaries was Western Cape.
The attached table below indicates the support provided in the Western Cape for disasters.
(d)A disaster caused by a fire in Vygieskraal occurred in October 2019. SASSA responded immediately and took applications which were processed and approved. However, the ability to pay cash, as SASSA had contracted the Post Office for all social grant payments, including cash social relief payments, as from 2018 and the processes had not yet been finalised for these.
(d) The last payments for the Vygieskraal residents were made in November 2021. The ability to pay SRD in cash as a response to disasters is now fully functional.
|
DISTRICT |
LOCAL OFFICE |
DISASTER INCIDENCE |
Incident number |
DATE OF AN INCIDENT |
TOTAL NUMBER AFFECTED |
APPROVED APPLICATIONS |
TOTAL PAID OUT |
DID NOT COLLECT/REJECTED |
|
Metro 1 |
Athlone |
Fire - Vygieskraal |
21/10/2019 |
143 |
117 |
117 |
||
|
Bellville |
Fire - Delft |
15885 |
11/10/2020 |
28 |
28 |
28 |
||
|
Khayelitsha |
Fire - Taiwan |
16977 |
01/01/2021 |
310 |
200 |
200 |
||
|
Wynberg |
Fire – Masiphumelele Hout Bay Tokai |
16818 15409 15378 |
17/12/2020 06/09/2020 03/09/2020 |
2200 115 37 |
682 115 37 |
682 (bank) 115 9 |
148 rejected 0 28 did not collect |
|
|
Metro 2 |
Cape Town |
Fire – Du Noon |
16376 |
14/11/2020 |
13 |
13 |
13 |
0 |
|
Eerste River |
Fire - Lwandle |
16775 |
10/12/2020 |
31 |
31 |
31 |
0 |
|
|
Gugulethu |
Fire- Europe |
13648 |
18/03/2020 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
0 |
|
|
Mitchell’s Plain |
Fire – Various incidents |
Various dates |
58 |
58 |
58 |
0 |
||
|
Boland Overberg |
Caledon |
none |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
|
Paarl |
Fire - Mbekweni |
None |
28/02/2020 |
32 |
32 |
32 |
0 |
|
|
Worcester |
Fire - Worcester |
None |
Various dates |
69 |
69 |
69 |
0 |
|
|
West Coast |
Vredenburg |
Fire – Atlantis and Piketberg |
None |
20/12/2020 08/01/2021 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
0 |
|
Vredendal |
Small fire incidents in Lutzville, Clanwilliam & Citrusdal |
None |
Various dates |
22 |
22 |
22 |
0 |
|
|
Eden Karoo |
Beaufort West |
Small fire incidents in Laingsburg, Prince Albert & Beaufort West |
None |
24/06/2020 04/07/2020 04/07/2020 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
0 |
|
Oudtshoorn |
Fire - Oudtshoorn |
None |
11/09/2020 |
14 |
14 |
10 |
4 rejected |