Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu recently testified to the South African Human Rights Commission on how much the civil unrest impacted the processing of SASSA payments. This forms part of the SAHRC’s inquiry into her department’s performance after the unrest.
Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu told the South African Human Rights Commission that July’s civil unrest affected the processing of SASSA social grant payments. Zulu was giving testimony before the Commission’s hearings in Umhlanga in Durban on Wednesday.
The July unrest severely impacted food supply networks and affected the distribution of food access and laid bare some of the sobering truths in our society.
She said that SASSA branch offices were burned down, numerous computers were stolen, and some of the offices are still not fully operational.
She added that the Social Development Department’s found that most people looted food items. She was probed by the commission on whether her department could have done more with the looted goods.
She stated in response that the stolen goods could have been repurposed into food parcels and donated to affect families across the country.
The commission also asked the minister whether the arrested children who participated in the looting were given amnesty.
She responded that the department intervened and many children who were arrested were released. When she was questioned about Phoenix, she said that psychosocial support was provided to people who needed it.
The hearings in the commission of enquiry continue.
