Scores of Cape Town beneficiaries have complained about deductions for, among others, electricity, funeral policies and loans, after grants were paid out on Saturday and yesterday.
One woman told the Daily Voice yesterday that more than R700 was deducted from her grant.
“I have no food in my house, what am I going to do? No one can help me at Sassa,” she said.
However, regional manager Bandile Maqetuka says he is pleased with the payment of social grants this month, with heightened security from police and the deployment of Sassa staff to ensure people get their money on time.
Staff also took down details of anyone where deductions were made.
A 32-year-old mom of three says she would have been gutted if payments didn’t come through.
“I am unemployed and don’t have any other income. I must admit I was very concerned when I heard we might not get paid, but thank God we did.”
Maqetuka said payments have been going smoothly in the Western Cape, but that he was aware of problems with illegal deductions here and in other provinces.
Following last month’s Constitutional Court ruling, such deductions from Sassa grants are prohibited.
Maqetuka says they are working with Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) to get to the bottom of cases that can’t be resolved at the pay points.
Police say on Saturday a group of eight men attempted to rob a payout point at Makhaza in Khayelitsha, but left empty-handed.