Dear Editor
In response to the continuous victimisation of social grant beneficiaries, the DA in the Western Cape will request that the South African Police Service (SAPS) appear before the Standing Committee on Social Development to discuss its plans to prevent violent crime against clients of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
SAPS had previously received parliamentary questions on contact crime at or near SASSA branches, but was unable to provide the relevant data. In the reply, SAPS indicated that crime at SASSA offices or against beneficiaries of the national agency was not tracked. This represents a clear oversight on the part of the SAPS when there has for years been ample anecdotal evidence to suggest that violent criminals often target SASSA clients as they collect their grants. This phenomenon has been reported on across the country for a number of years by beneficiaries themselves and SASSA officials.
At the same time, SASSA clients are being targeted by unscrupulous loan sharks. According to a SASSA briefing to the Standing Committee in September, some beneficiaries are being forced to surrender their SASSA cards as collateral for predatory loans, leaving illegal financial service providers to collect grant money which does not belong to them. This is not only illegal and harmful to beneficiaries but also puts additional strain onto South Africa’s already chronically-overstretched social security net. When SASSA can barely afford to pay beneficiaries a R350 SRD grant each month, money cannot be allowed to flow into the hands of exploitative criminals.
MPP Dan Plato says: “As always, SAPS has a vital role to play in ensuring the safety and security of those who receive financial assistance in the Western Cape. It is clear that SASSA clients in particular have become favourite targets for criminals, and I am concerned by the fact that SAPS does not seem to be tracking, let alone addressing this trend. I will invite SAPS representatives to appear before the Standing Committee on Social Development to facilitate a constructive dialogue toward rectifying this issue. It is my hope that engaging SAPS on this matter will lead to a higher standard of protection for our SASSA-client citizens, as well as an end to the illegal and exploitative profiteering of criminals off the social security net.”
Regards
Dan Plato, MPP
DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Social Development
