Pensioner dies in Sassa queue

File photo: David Ritchie

File photo: David Ritchie

Published Jan 23, 2013

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North West - A 90-year-old woman died while waiting to re-register for her old age grant in Chosen Village, North West, the social development department said on Wednesday.

The woman was in a queue outside the SA Security Agency's (Sassa) offices when an official noticed something amiss and alerted the woman's son, said spokeswoman Lumka Oliphant.

He checked and discovered that she was not breathing. Police and paramedics were called, and the woman was declared dead on the scene.

Sassa embarked on a drive in April last year to re-register all social grant beneficiaries, in an attempt to root out fraud in the system.

Oliphant said elderly recipients need not register at Sassa offices.

“The welfare of senior citizens remains a primary concern,” she said.

“That is why we took this decision to re-register them in their own homes. Older persons and their families that are not re-registered will continue to receive their old age grant.” - Sapa

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