The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has clarified who qualifies for food parcels during the national lockdown to dispel fake news doing the rounds.

Sassa says in a statement that food parcels are provided as temporary relief for those who cannot meet their family’s most basic needs.

Those who qualify are people whose disability grants lapsed in March, people who have been hit by natural disasters, and if a breadwinner has passed away in the past year also qualify.

The food parcels will also be provided to families where everyone is unemployed, child-headed households and people who cannot work for 6 months for medical reasons.

Corruption in the distribution of food parcels

Gauteng Premier David Makhura has condemned alleged corruption in the distribution of food parcels to the needy during the lockdown period. Makhura was reacting to the allegations by South African Civic Organisation (Sanco) in Tshwane that there is discrimination in the distribution of food parcels and that they are not reaching the intended beneficiaries.

Over 400 food hampers are distributed daily.

Makhura briefed the media on Tuesday during his visit to a COVID-19 food bank storage in Watloo, east of Pretoria.

“This food bank must only distribute to people vetted and verified because they must go only to those who are needy. Every family that needs food must be assisted. We are also going to report to the command centre that we are going to need more food as more families continue to come forward,” says Makhura.

Source: SABCNews