Social grant beneficiaries in Mamelodi are calling for improved service at the local SASSA office after two people collapsed while waiting in a long queue last week.
The incidents occurred while a GroundUp reporter was at the scene. The line, made up mostly of elderly people and individuals with disabilities, stretched outside the office under the hot sun.
The first person to collapse was 36-year-old Isaac Msiza. He said he began to feel faint, his body started shaking, and he eventually fell to the ground. Msiza later explained that he suffers from epilepsy and had been standing in the heat for over two hours.
“I come here regularly to reapply for my disability grant. Sometimes I find three queues that move very slowly. SASSA workers need to assist us more quickly because we are unwell and need to get home to take our medication,” he said. A female security guard later took his documents inside on his behalf.
Approximately ten minutes later, an elderly woman who had been seated on a chair in the queue fainted. She was immediately taken inside to receive assistance.
The incidents caused frustration among others waiting in line, who said the queues are consistently long and move at a slow pace.
Sinnah Madimela, who is applying for a disability grant, shared her experience. She became disabled four months ago after being hit by a tractor while working on a farm.
“SASSA workers keep us waiting for more than three hours … When we finally get inside, they just look at our papers for a few minutes and tell us to come back after two months,” she said.
Gauteng SASSA spokesperson Sesame Kgabi confirmed that the agency is aware of the incidents. He said the collapses may have been linked to pre-existing medical conditions. He also stated that the elderly woman received care from staff members at the scene.
Responding to concerns about long waits, Kgabi said the Mamelodi office serves a large number of applicants but is not able to assist everyone each day.
He added that delays are sometimes caused by poor network connectivity and that this is communicated to those in the queue. The office follows a first-come, first-served system, although serious medical conditions are prioritised.
Kgabi encouraged beneficiaries to use the agency’s online self-service platform to apply, while also acknowledging that some individuals may struggle with using the digital system.
