Pretoria - The elderly and disabled flocked early on Monday to collect their social grants and to finally be able to buy food to last them during the lockdown.
The post office in Mamelodi East saw people arriving as early as 7am while only a few maintained their social distance.
Pretoria News spoke to 67-year-old Sara Mlangeni who sat on a rock next to the post office waiting her turn.
She said the past couple of days had been stressful for her and said she was worried she might be putting herself at risk by being infected by the coronavirus.
“I am relieved that I will be able to buy some groceries today. I don’t know how I am going to buy all the things I need because they have cleared out most supermarkets by now.
"However I know at least I will be able to go home with something,” she said.
She was accompanied by her grandson who had both walked quite a long distance to get there.
The grandson said they didn’t have money for public transport so he had to help her walk to collect the grant.
Another elderly woman who was standing in the queue said the lockdown had brought her many problems and that being poor meant they were left the most vulnerable and more at risk.
She said she understood they were meant to keep their distance but it was hard because not everyone was complying.
“Sometimes people forget and when they start talking they get comfortable and come closer together.
"We try by all means to keep the distance but when other people around you don’t care you also start not to care anymore because we don’t have a choice but to be here,” she said.