An obviously distressed Somali refugee woman spoke outside of an SASSA office, disclosing that her social grant had been suspended for a duration of seven months.Somali community members voiced their displeasure, saying they were unaware of the impending paperwork obligations and had gotten no advance notice.
A number of South Africans seemed unconcerned, and some even questioned the eligibility of foreign nationals getting SASSA benefits.There has been a lot of buzz online about a video that shows the woman pleading with the South African government over her halted SASSA award. Afritimez News shared the post on their Facebook page, stating, “Concerns are being raised about the management of social grants after a Somali national claimed her payments were stopped despite having received them in the past.
“The video shows the woman and other Somali community members protesting outside the SASSA office, when she says, “How can I get a green ID right now?” The procedure is long, but we’re now a family. Our family is a refugee unit. The kids are in class. We think the government should do something.She went on to say that Somalis had been receiving SASSA benefits through their refugee status. Refugees can work, study, and use basic services in South Africa with these licenses, which are good for four years.
But SASSA officials started telling applicants that they needed a green South African ID to keep getting their grants, and they didn’t give them any notice. She stressed that the community had been unaware of the change in criteria, and her payments had been suspended for seven months.She made an impassioned plea for help to the government and the Department of Home Affairs, stressing that many of the women there were mothers who were struggling to make ends meet.Recognised refugees have the same rights to social assistance as permanent residents, according to government laws.
They are eligible to apply for a number of awards, such as those for children, the disabled, the elderly, and SRD R370.They need to have legal permits when they apply, and they have to pass a means test showing they have insufficient money. Notably, refugees are not need to have a green South African ID.A green Somalian refugee expresses her anger over the government’s decision to cut off her Sassa grant.
