ALL she wanted was her grant money, but after a long day in the queue outside the Sassa offices in Gugulethu, the hungry Nomvuyiselo Mampofu collapsed.
Speaking to Daily Sun, the 48-year-old from Marcus Garvey in Philippi, Cape Town, said she was shocked to wake up surrounded by people on Tuesday morning, 12 January.
Some were fanning her with envelopes, while others poured cold water on her.
“They told me I fell to the ground and had fits, so they were trying to help me,” she said.
She told the People’s Paper all she remembered was that she was waiting for her friend to bring her food so she could take her pills.
Nomvuyiselo was at Sassa to renew her temporary disability grant as she suffers from various conditions, which have made it difficult for her to work.
“I suffer from sugar diabetes and high blood pressure. I also have arthritis and I’m epileptic, which made it difficult for me to work."
Anelisa Sihlangu (51) said they were shocked when Nomvuyiselo started having fits.
“We had to quickly assist her to regain her strength. She told us she had not taken her pills because she was hungry. We gave her some food and she took her pills,” said Anelisa.
Nomvuyiselo said she slept in the queue on Thursday last week and was given an appointment for Tuesday 12 January.
She said she slept in the queue on Monday, 11 January. But when her turn arrived on Tuesday, she was apparently told to come back on 19 January.
Provincial Sassa spokeswoman Shivani Wahab said they were working to clear the problems faced by beneficiaries to avoid them sleeping in the queues.
Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu is expected to visit various Sassa offices around Cape Town today and tomorrow.
