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- For three days last week, Zithobile Madayi arranged with a driver from KwaZulu Village in Tsomo to transport him to Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape, hoping to get his pension grant.
- The 60 kilometre trip to and from his village cost the 63-year-old R100 per day.
- Madayi is one of thousands of Sassa beneficiaries inconvenienced by a technical glitch that saw many not getting paid.
For three days last week, Zithobile Madayi arranged with a driver from KwaZulu Village in Tsomo to transport him to Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape, hoping to get his pension grant.
The 60 kilometre trip to and from his village cost the 63-year-old R100 per day.
On Monday, when Madayi got his grant of R2 080, he already owed the driver R400.
He is one of thousands of Sassa beneficiaries inconvenienced by a technical glitch that saw many not getting paid.
READ | South Africans wait days for social grants due to system error
This as a system error at Postbank delayed the payment of social grants to thousands of people for days.
Most beneficiaries had been waiting for payments since 5 September.
Postbank said due to the system error, Sassa beneficiaries could not withdraw their funds from ATMs and retailers.
Grant payments at post offices were unaffected.
Madayi uses his social grant to pay his debts, funeral policies, and buy groceries.
"On Tuesday last week, (myself) and some other villagers spoke to the bakkie driver, the mode of transport in our village to take us to town.
"He usually does this whenever we go to town for our pension grant. However, we did not get money from the ATMs," he said.
Madayi added the driver was understanding and sympathetic to them as he drove them back to the village.
He said:
Madayi received his grant on Monday and had to pay more than R400 for transport.
"I could have done a lot with this money, and it will take me a long time to recover," he said.
Nkululeko Ndondo, 73, who stays in Orlando East, said they had no food at home.
"My wife also gets a pension grant, and we have two other grants for my grandchildren.
"Last Tuesday, we went to Pick n Pay in Carlton Centre in Johannesburg, where we usually get grants. There were many of us, and we were surprised when we were told there was no money."
He added some people did not have money to return home as they had hoped to get grants.
"It was chaotic; we had to donate money for other people so they could return home.
"The manager also assisted in giving people food as they were stressing that the cupboards were dry," Ndondo said.
He added at home, they were assisted by his stepdaughter, who gave them money to buy mealie meal, sugar, and tea.
READ | Grants crisis: Zulu says Postbank 'failures threaten lives', DA calls for Sassa to use private banks
Nyana Jabane, who runs the Re aga Sechaba (We Build the Nation) NPO, said last week they assisted 120 social grant beneficiaries with food as they did not get their grant.
"We have been busy since last week trying to assist where possible. People are here from 06:00," she added.
Jabane said they usually get vegetables from the market or farms.
"We teach people how to rescue food. Some vegetables get squashed, and the market cannot sell them to consumers. We take the vegetables and remove the squashed part."
She added even this week, social grant beneficiaries still approached her for food.
On Thursday, about 50 people queued outside a community hall in Orlando East, waiting for their turn to get a packet made up of cabbage, aubergine, carrots, green peas and a litre of milk.
Albert Mabasa, 51, said the past week was difficult for him and his family.
"I got an R350 Social Relief of Distress grant, which had not been reported on my account.
"I am on chronic medication and cannot take it on an empty stomach. The money helps a lot as I can buy instant porridge and mealie meal."
He added he sometimes asked for two slices of bread from his neighbours.
Mabasa said: "At least I will be able to cook cabbage and mix it with carrot to be able to take my medication."
