Calls have been made for councillors, community leaders, security officials and police to intervene in protecting the underprivileged from the “pharas”* who harass, intimidate and victimise beneficiaries as they queue to collect their Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD) R350 grant, outside the Phoenix Post Office.
Daniel Govender**, 56, an unemployed resident of Phoenix, said he received an SMS notifying him that his R350 grant was ready for collection at the post office. “I got up early on Friday morning and got a lift to the Phoenix Post Office. I stood in line at 6am, in the hot sun. When I got to the queue, I was 10th in line but suddenly found I had become 35th in line as I was pushed to the back of the queue by ‘pharas’, who were ‘managing’ the queue,” alleged Govender. Govender claims that when he eventually got to the post office counter, four hours later, he was told that he should return another day because the post office was still dealing with backlogs from the previous round and was not paying out new applications. Applications for the new special Covid-19 SRD R350 grant opened on 6 August and payments for applicants commenced on 25 August. SASSA came up with a new strategy where the last three digits of approved beneficiaries’ identity numbers will be used for payment collection on a specific day of the week. SASSA said that this will avoid over-crowding at post offices, minimise the spread of the Covid-19 infections and allow for social distancing on pay days. Govender said that outside the post office there was no social distancing in the queue as a group of “pharas” filled the gaps with people standing at the end of the queue.
“I counted about 17 ‘pharas’ walking around without masks. They were ‘managing’ the queue by taking people from the back of the queue and filling the gaps. They were asking the beneficiaries to pay them about R50-R100 after they collected their R350. I saw one ‘phara’ walking around and flicking a knife as if to intimidate the people. I complained to the security and also to the clerk at the door. They didn’t do anything,” alleged Govender. “I also saw the ‘pharas’ fight amongst themselves as to who should be placed in front of the queue. I saw one ‘phara’ throw a brick at another because he didn’t agree with him and the victim’s arm started bleeding,” alleged Govender. Govender said that he prefers to collect his R350 from the post office in cash as collecting via the bank reduces the amount due to bank charges and withdrawal fees. “I will have to wait and try another day when I can get a lift with a friend as I do not have taxi fare to return to the post office immediately. I would like the councillors, police and security officials to intervene in protecting beneficiaries as they wait to collect their R350 grant,” said Govender.
Kevin Naicker, a community activist from Ward 49 who helps people apply for their R350 grant, said that an unemployed 48-year-old woman did not receive her R350 grant for 10 months after having applied in the previous round. “She recently received a message saying that she should collect the money, however, the Phoenix Post Office sent her ‘up and down’ four times. Finally, she had to leave to visit some family in Cape Town and I asked her to try to collect the money from the post office there. She did not have any problems collecting her money in Cape Town.” Furthermore, Naicker claimed that when he phoned the Phoenix Post Office for enquiries he was unable to get through. “They do not answer the phones. The post office needs a better system in place. Our people stand in queues for long hours in the cold, rain and heat, even with the new system of the last three digits,” alleged Naicker. He said that it’s difficult for people with chronic illnesses to wait long in the queue. “For unemployed people to go back to the post office another day, is an inconvenience,” said Naicker. Captain Louise Naidoo of the Phoenix SAPS said that the police have already attended to the matter and have asked the post office management to take control and manage the situation. “The post office needs to take responsibility,” said Captain Naidoo.
Nobuhle Njapha, the spokesperson for the South African Post Office in KZN, said no SAPO employee or other individuals have the right to ask beneficiaries to pay any fee to be serviced and/or to receive preferential treatment by jumping a queue. “Such practices are illegal,” said Njapha. She said the post office has not issued messages as yet since they were still finalising agreements with third-party agreements that will assist with SRD payments. “We are however still paying the old SRD customers until 31 August. SASSA has started paying SRD for customers using bank accounts, they have piloted 1 500 on 25 August.” Njapha said the post office does not have jurisdiction over the behaviour of members of the public outside post office property. “Inside the branch we limit the number of customers entering and social distancing is practised. Customers of the post office are also requested to strictly observe the measures announced to curb the spread of the Coronavirus, such as the wearing of masks, sanitising and social distancing. These measures are enforced on post office property.
“Our services are free to the public and we request customers to refrain from paying others to jump the queues. The new payment system using the last three digits of an ID was introduced to cut on these issues, security guards have also been placed to assist in queue management outside post offices. There is normally more than three numbers advertised at its branch office, but customers can also use our customer care line 0860-111-502,” she added. To report postal crime contact the post office’s toll-free crime-buster hotline on 0800-020-070.
*Pharas is a term used to refer to people living in the streets who are sometimes associated with committing petty crimes.
**Name changed for fear of victimisation
