PEOPLE gathered at Sassa offices in Uitenhage, Eastern Cape yesterday.
Hundreds of residents from KwaNobuhle and KwaLanga shouted: “We want food President Cyril Ramaphosa. He promised us on TV.”
But Sassa said there was no food.
Etienne Malgas (50) of Hugh-Reece squatter camp told Daily Sun: “The last meal I had was porridge with my seven kids and wife. Only five application forms were brought to the area for 14 families, but our leaders rejected them because everybody here is hungry.”
Bulelani Gates (42) said his wife was first on the registration list. “She was registered by Councillor Lunga Nombexeza’s brother. Food was handed out on Saturday, but Nombexeza’s friends and family got it,” he claimed.
People got food at Sassa on Monday. We were told to return today.”
Sanco leader Gareth Plaatjies said: “People are more at risk of dying of hunger than Covid-19.”
Police escorted all residents out.
Nombexeza said registration was handled by ward committee members and community programme officials. “Eighty food parcels were registered, but only 76 approved.
“Two in the ward share my surname, but we aren’t relatives. The list was handed to Sassa and people were screened and approved.”
Sassa spokesman Luzuko Qina said: “Ward 46 and 50 didn’t trust their leaders. The ward 46 councillor addressed his people, but the ward 50 councillor didn’t come, so we had to call cops to remove people.
“People must not worry. This is an ongoing grant, not the Covid-19 grant. Budget is available to provide food. Three thousand food parcels were allocated. We’re almost done with it and will start with phase 2.
“We asked traditional leaders, councillors, committees and social workers to help us identify people who have no income, are without grants, unemployed, terminated grants, who are 60 but can’t apply due to lockdown, and recyclers.”
