Durban - When a KwaMashu man was told by a Home Affairs official that he died 10 years ago, he thought he was having another psychotic attack.
Themba Zondi, 43, who has schizophrenia, had his disability grant cut off because of a bungle which registered him as having died in 2002.
His sister and caregiver, Jabulile Zondi, 46, told the Daily News that her brother’s South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) disability grant was suddenly stopped three years ago.
This was confirmed by the province’s Sassa spokesman, Vusi Makhaye.
Jabulile said when they went to Sassa offices, they were referred to Home Affairs.
“There we were told that a Themba Edgar Zondi whose ID was issued on the same day had the same ID number, had died in Bulwer.
“We went there with the social worker and their computer said the same thing. My brother doesn’t have a middle name, he is not Edgar,” said Jabulile.
The part-time domestic worker takes care of two other brothers with schizophrenia, one of whom is also epileptic and has spent most of his life in mental institutions.
Jabulile used the days of the weeks she did not work to attend to the matter, ultimately being promised a resolution at the Umgeni Road office of Home Affairs.
As the months went by with no response, she phoned the Home Affairs call centre and narrated their problem again.
“That was in November 2013. I followed up time and time again but have still not heard back,” said a frustrated Jabulile.
Using the call reference number, the Daily News learnt that the case was still open and had been escalated last week at the head office in Pretoria. It is not clear why it had taken two years for the matter to be escalated and when it would be resolved.
Meanwhile, Department of Home Affairs director for the eThekwini district, Tersia Hanekom, said she would look into the case.
“Any number of things could have happened. In some cases, people register others as dead for insurance scams. It may have been an error at capturing stage or a duplication because of the same names. We would have to investigate.”
Hanekom said since Zondi’s ID was issued in 1999, their processes had improved to prevent duplication and clerical bungles.
Zondi said: “My sister and the rest of the family have never made me feel like a burden, but I felt useful when I earned the grant and could help buy food and take care of the house.
“I’m so stressed by this, I always feel like I am about to have an episode,” he said.
When he has an episode, he hears voices and becomes aggressive and violent. Zondi dropped out of school because of his illness. He has never worked.
Because taxi fare for him often means no bread for the household, he often has to walk to the clinic where he gets his chronic medication and monthly injection.
“I just want things to be okay again,” Zondi said.
Daily News
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