Issued by: SA Communication Service
19 January 1998
STATEMENT BY WELFARE AND POPULATION DEVELOPMENT MINISTER GERALDINE FRASER-MOLEKETI ON HER VISIT TO EASTERN CAPE'S PENSION PAY POINTS
In line with my commitment to ensure the smooth running of payments of grants to social security beneficiaries in the Eastern Cape, today I visited some of the province's pay points.
Accompanied by Eastern Cape welfare MEC Mandisa Marasha, national Department of Welfare acting Director-General Dr Benny Mokaba, chief directors Snowy Molosankwe, Mr Graham Bloch, Ms Helen Starke, Dr Peter Ubomba-Jaswa, finance head Jan Hatting, and other senior officials from the Department, I spoke to scores of pensioners in Duncan Village, Malakalaka, Tshatshu and Mount Coke.
I wish to thank social security beneficiaries - mostly elderly pensioners - for being patient as they stood in long queues at pay points when our task team were busy addressing some technical and logistical problems that cropped up in the morning. I am pleased to say that the payment of grants which begun today, went underway successfully at most pay points.
Social security grants are paid out on a three weeks staggered basis, meaning that not all beneficiaries are paid on the same day. While some were paid out today, others will be paid on Tuesday, or Wednesday - during the three weeks period. I therefore, urge beneficiaries to come to pay points only on days they are scheduled to be paid.
A total of R6,5 million was spent on cash payments to social security beneficiaries today alone, R18,7 million was spent on cheque payments and a total of R81 million covered post office cash payments.
The following phone numbers will be useful for enquiries.
CONTACT PEOPLE AT REGIONS
Queenstome : Piet van Deventer 0451-8383841 4:30 - OK
Port Elizabeth : Mr Koos Schriven Martin Windvogel 041-344100
East London : Kietzman 0431-431253 (Mev Kruger)
Kokstad : Mr Mqulwa 0471-23929 4:30 - OK
Umtata : Mrs Tywabi 0471-312440 0471-312687 4:30 - OK
ISSUED: GERALDINE FRASER-MOLEKETI, MP MINISTER FOR WELFARE AND POPULATION DEVELOPMENT
ENQUIRIES: BRIAN SOKUTU CELLPHONE: 082-8075397