Sassa offices across the Western Cape have resumed full operations following disruptions earlier in the week due to a strike by security guards. The strike forced some offices to close entirely, while others offered only limited services, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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According to Sassa spokesperson Annelize Bester, most local offices in the province were impacted by the strike on Tuesday. Sinayo Meza (23) shared her experience of arriving at the Khayelitsha branch at 4am with her 80-year-old grandmother, only to find the office closed, despite expecting it to open at 8am.
‘We joined the queue and there were already more than 10 people,’ Meza said. She had checked Sassa’s social media accounts the night before but found no information about the closures.
‘There is usually a security guard who checks the queue, but on Tuesday morning, there wasn’t anyone and I still didn’t think much about it,’ she added. Meza became concerned when there was no sign of the office opening or any security guards by 9am.
Bester confirmed that several offices were either closed or operating with limited services due to the strike. Gugulethu, Oudtshoorn, George, Worcester, Witzenberg, Vredendal, Wynberg, Paarl, Bellville, and Grabouw were among the offices that managed to provide reduced or full services. However, offices in Athlone, Vredenburg, Khayelitsha, Cape Town, Eerste River, Mitchells Plain, Robertson, and Beaufort West were unable to assist clients due to security concerns.
By Wednesday, all Sassa offices and service points had reopened. Bester explained that Sassa outsources its security to a service provider, which is managed through a service agreement. If necessary, Sassa would seek assistance from the Western Cape Security Cluster.
Bester noted that the security contract is closely monitored with regular engagements between Sassa and the provider.
‘In case of any disruption of services, the agreed contingency plan will be implemented,’ she said. Communication had been sent to the security service provider, outlining strict requirements to restore services amid the ongoing strike.
‘The service provider is required to implement the contingency plan and meet strict verifiable conditions,’ Bester stated, adding that the strike was linked to an internal labour dispute within the security company. Sassa was informed of the strike late on Monday.
‘We regard the safety and security of our clients and staff as a high priority and will not put them in danger,’ Bester emphasised. She apologised to clients for the inconvenience and reassured them that Sassa is committed to providing services in a safe and secure environment.
Some clients, like Nosipho Ntshonga (30) were affected by the reduced services. Ntshonga visited the Gugulethu office to register her newborn for a child support grant but had to leave due to the slow service.
‘The queue was too long, everything was slow, and my daughter was crying,’ she said. Ntshonga, who had arrived at 5am to secure her spot in line, was disappointed after waiting more than six hours without receiving help.
‘I ended up feeling unwell and had to go back home without getting help after waiting more than six hours,’ she said, adding that Sassa should have informed clients about the delays instead of maintaining a facade of normalcy.
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Picture: Fani Mahuntsi / Gallo Images
CapeTown ETC
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