DA Shadow Minister of Social Development, Bridget Masango wants the temporary disability grant to be paid out to applicants whose grants are due to expire in July, August, September, and October.
The current regulations allow for temporary disability grants that expired between February and June 2020 to be paid out until October.
Grants that expired from July onwards are not covered and will not be paid out by SASSA.
"To many people with disabilities, these grants are vital to their very survival. It’s their means to procure food for themselves and their families. This oversight by the Minister’s regulations puts their lives and well-being at risk." said Masango.
She said the payment of the grants should continue until things are back to the way they used to be before the covid-19 lockdown.
"While it is normal for temporary disability grants to be reviewed under ordinary circumstances, the exceptional circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown necessitates the continuous payment of these grants until all services are again run as close to normal as possible."
Temporary disability grants have a lifespan of 12 months, and after this period, grant recipients must reapply. During the application process, applicants are assessed by a medical doctor.
The lockdown made it difficult for SASSA to continue with this process, as many doctors were needed in hospitals to look after covid-19 patients.
This is why in July, SASSA announced that it had appointed 465 doctors around the country to help with the application process of disability grants. The doctors would be responsible for testing applicants to make sure they meet the criteria to qualify for the disability grant.
This seemed like a step in the right direction for SASSA, but the DA is now not happy with the number of doctors available.
Masango is worried, as only 10 doctors were appointed in the Western Cape to do health assessments on disability grant applicants.
She said the minister must act with speed to change the regulations.
