Nicolette Dirk and Francesca Villette
THE SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) has received 7 259 complaints regarding disputed EFT (electronic funds transfer) debits over the last year, the majority of them about advances for airtime.
Frustrated pensioners are deeply aggrieved about alleged unauthorised deductions being made from grants without their knowledge.
When 70-year-old Christina Botha, from Brooklyn, was notified by her bank about her pension deposit on Sunday, she was shocked to realise there was only R1 108 in her account.
The executive manager of Sassa’s grants administration, Dianne Dunkerley, said beneficiaries are assisted to complete affidavits confirming that they did not agree to the deductions, and to enable Sassa to assist them in resolving the complaint.
Botha said when she contacted the bank, she was referred to its partner company, who informed her her account had been hacked and she would not be refunded.
“This is impossible because my Sassa card is locked away in a cupboard at home. Somewhere there is some kind of corruption involved,” Botha said.
Her 37-year-old mentally disabled son also receives a grant. But having to pay R1 550 for rent, Botha does not know how they will make ends meet this month.
Last month the Cape Times reported on a 72-year-old Franschhoek farmworker who was conned out of R310 for three months by a woman posing as a Sassa employee.
Magdalene Davids said the woman called her in September, claiming she was from Sassa’s head office and needed her card details as their system showed she had two cards.
Davids said she only had one card, but the woman sounded so professional and when she said she also needed her ID number, she gave it to her. Soon after unauthorised debit orders of R300 were deducted from her Sassa account, Davids said.
Sassa spokesperson Kgomoco Diseko said Sassa has developed a comprehensive dispute resolution mechanism. She said individuals have to lodge a dispute at a Sassa office or call 0800 601011.