The government has admitted that large numbers of beneficiaries who are eligible to receive the R350 COVID-19 social relief grant are yet to get their money.

The money was meant for people who are either without employment or have since lost their jobs due to the pandemic and who are not receiving other forms of state assistance.

The government has since extended the duration of the special COVID-19 social grant until next year January. Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu, who was part of the virtual question and answer session in the National Assembly, says 6 million beneficiaries were processed last month alone.

“For October, 9 267 261 were processed. 6 160 014 were approved. A total of 160 847 have not yet been paid. I do wish to indicate honourable chair and honourable members that the numbers of the unpaid are accumulative because these are the numbers that come from each and every one of the months that we were supposed to pay.”

Zulu has apologised on behalf of the government to people who have not yet received their COVID-19 social grants money. She conceded that the protracted delays are because of a number of factors and that they are taking a toll on people who need the cash.

“I want to assure you, honourable member, that those that have seem to have fallen to the cracks will remain our responsibility to pay them, whether we are backdating them-whatever the case may be. They do deserve to be paid and I am responsible for Sassa and doing oversight in the department in making sure that they are paid. And we really apologise to the fact that many of them remain unpaid. “

Matric examinations

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga who was also part of the session says no COVID-19 related deaths have been reported during this year’s matric exams. She says there have been some incidents including a student giving birth during an exam.

“There is a learner who gave birth and teachers had to assist-so those are all the difficulties that we usually experience. There is a learner who had a belt in his stomach…so these are the kind of experiences that we always encounter because these are learners that have all sorts of challenges. But I am not aware of any learner that could have died.”

source: sabc news