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When Angela Lucas went to collect her disability grant from the ATM earlier this month she was in for a shock.
Not only were her Sassa funds not reflecting in her account, it emerged the money had been paid into another account at a bank where she does not have an account.
Both Lucas and Sassa confirm the issue is currently under investigation.
“I went to the bank on (Saturday) 4 August because I had to open an account to have my pension paid in. I took my paper in the Sunday morning on 5 August. That was for the pension for Saturday 1 September. When I went to the ATM, it showed no money was paid in. Somebody told me to use my old Sassa card and I went to Pick n Pay and they still said there weren’t any funds,” says Lucas.
She reported the matter to the Sassa office in Wynberg last week only to be told to follow up the information of the incorrect account into which the money had been paid.
“They (the bank) said they cannot give any information about other people to me. They insisted that I still do it. I went back again. I went back to Sassa and told them that they do not want to give me any info and that is when I broke down,” she adds.
She bore the brunt of having to fork out money to travel to and from the banks as well as the Sassa office – money she says she had to borrow.
“Now they are saying that the money is paid in someone else’s account and it is [being] investigated. They know who captured it, but they can’t tell me. They will investigate, but they can’t tell me when I am going to get my money,” says an exasperated Lucas.
Sassa regional spokesperson Shivani Wahab has confirmed that they have yet to fully ascertain the status of the issue from the manager.
“If any client has any social grant-related query or complaint, they may contact the Sassa toll-free number 0800 60 10 11 or the Sassa Western Cape customer care number 021 469 0235,” Wahab says.
Lucas says she has made sure that her details are correct for her next grant payment in October, but does not know when her money for this month will appear.
“There is no timeline whatsoever, but they said they will notify me.
“To see a person like me, a disabled person, go up and down. I really thought that I was going to get a nervous breakdown. Now I must go without money,” Lucas laments.
