Question NW1936 to the Minister of Social Development
30 June 2022 - NW1936
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Social Development
Considering the devastating floods that are being experienced in KwaZulu-Natal, what (a) total number of (i) SA Social Security Agency offices and (ii) social development facilities have been damaged as a result, (b) is the total estimated cost of damages for repairs, (c) total number of beneficiaries will be unable to receive their grants, (d) are the areas where beneficiaries will and are most affected and (e) strategies are being implemented by her department in order to operationalise their offices and recover from the devastation?
Reply:
In the KwaZulu-Natal region, there is
(a)(i) One SASSA local office in Chatsworth that was damaged by the floods that services approximately 140 beneficiaries per day (ii) No facility under Social Development was damaged.
(b) The roof of the local office (the building is shared with the Department of Home Affairs) was previously affected by rain damage that resulted in the flooding of the floor space. This had a temporary effect on daily operations. According to the estimates from the Provincial Department of Public Works, the estimated costs for repairing the roof prior to the floods were estimated at R 17,5 million.
(c), (d) and (e) Due to the minimal damage no services at SASSA offices were severely compromised and services to grant applicants are continuing as normal.