Pensioners demand review of Sassa at Parliament

A GROUP of pensioners and supporters marched to Parliament yesterday demanding a full review of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), citing discrimination, poor treatment, and a system they say is failing the elderly.

- MANDILAKHE TSHWETE

Organiser Pat Lee said the agency needed fundamental reform.

"I think Sassa must be reviewed itself, because every person working for Sassa must reapply for their positions, and they must also have diverse cultures in these common places that serve the public because of communication problems that we have.

"Once we have the diverse cultural workforce that will eliminate the misunderstandings and the frustrations so that people with different languages can be understood," she said.

The march started on the Grand Parade, before proceeding up Buitenkant Street and turning into Roeland Street, where participants gathered outside Parliament to hand over a memorandum.

Among the marchers was 68-year-old pensioner Joy Pinn, who recounted a case that left her shaken at the Sassa office in Wynberg.

"I took a 92-year-old man there...

and they refused to give him the grant because he's white and they think he's rich. They didn't even look at his stuff. I took him three, four times, and they refused to give it. They were so rude. Unfortunately, he died, so he couldn't tell his story,’ Pinn said.