Gauteng pensioners feel humiliated still being without grant payments.

Many elderly people in Gauteng are still waiting for their social grant payments, which were supposed to be paid on the first of September. They say they feel humiliated and abandoned by the government, which has not given them any clear explanation or solution.

According to the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the delay was caused by a technical glitch in the system that processes the payments. SASSA said it was working to resolve the issue as soon as possible and apologized for the inconvenience.

However, some pensioners say they have not received any communication from SASSA and have been left in the dark about when they will get their money. They say they depend on the grants to buy food, medicine and other essentials, and that the delay has put them in a difficult situation.

One of them is Nomsa Mkhize, a 68-year-old woman from Soweto, who said she had to borrow money from her neighbours to buy bread and milk. She said she felt like a beggar and that the government had failed her.

“I have been going to the post office every day, hoping to get my money, but they always tell me there is nothing for me. I don’t know what is going on. I don’t have any other source of income. This is how I survive,” she said.

Another pensioner, Jacob Molefe, a 72-year-old man from Tembisa, said he had to sell some of his belongings to pay for his rent and electricity. He said he felt humiliated and angry at the government, which he accused of neglecting the elderly.

“They don’t care about us. They only care about themselves. They are busy looting and stealing our money, while we suffer. They should be ashamed of themselves. They are playing with our lives,” he said.

SASSA spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said the agency was aware of the problem and was working around the clock to fix it. He said most of the affected pensioners had already received their payments, and that the rest would get them by next week.

He urged the pensioners to be patient and assured them that they would not lose their money. He also advised them to contact the SASSA toll-free number 0800 60 10 11 or visit their nearest SASSA office for more information.

He apologized for the delay and said it was an isolated incident that would not happen again.