ELDERLY’S RELATIVES TURNED BACK AT GRANTS PAY POINTS

MBABANE - Is what was said by the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM), Themba Masuku, concerning the elderly grant payment contrary to what is actually happening at the pay points across the country?

Last week, Masuku was on national radio warning people against forcing the elderly, especially those who could not travel long distances due to illnesses and old age, to go to the pay points.

Masuku issued the warning following claims that some elderly were taken to the pay points in wheelbarrows and blankets after those who represented them were turned back by social welfare officers. A concerned citizen, who only identified himself as Mkhabela, said the act by the social welfare workers caused an embarrassment to the elderly.

‘Ghosts’

Masuku had said his office had initiated the new policy to guard against the payment of the grants to ‘ghosts’. Under the new policy, Masuku said a form was designed so that the DPM’s office could monitor the payments.

“We urge the elderly to fill in forms so that our officers can visit them for verification after the payment. This is to ensure that no money was paid to people who are no longer alive. The elderly should not be forced to go to the pay points,” Masuku was quoted saying.
Contrary to his words, officers continued to turn back those who went to the pay points to collect the grants on behalf of their relatives under Lobamba Constituency last Friday.

Information gathered from those who were turned back was that the officers demanded to see the elderly before the money was released.
Lissaiah Ginindza, who is married to Titus Ginindza (80), at Mvutshini, confirmed that the officers refused to give her Titus’s grant, demanding that the senior citizen should personally come to the pay point.

“I received my grant, however, when I requested to collect the money on my husband’s behalf, the officers refused, and told me to fetch him from home. I was so distressed because mkhulu can’t walk due to illness. I tried to reason with them but they heard none of it,” she said.
Lissaiah said she was hurt because Titus needed special treatment. She said it was disheartening to expose sickly people to such while there were other options.

She said her husband would not have received the grant had it not been for the compassion of the former Bucopho of the area, Wonder Mnisi, and the incumbent Bucopho Menzi Mndzebele.
The duo was so touched when they overheard the conversation. She said they offered to fetch Titus from home because they knew his condition.
“What is the use of electing Bucopho and Tindvuna Tetinkhundla if elderly people are made to suffer? Why are Bucopho and tindvuna not given the full responsibility to monitor and confirm the existence of the elderly because they know us better than the officers? Police officer can also be an option,” Lissaiah said.

Esther Ginindza, a bedridden elderly of Ezulwini, confided that she had not yet received her grant. The hopeful woman said she received information that her grant would not be released unless she personally went to the pay point.
“Batsi kumele ngitiyele khona lena mtfwanami kepha simanga kutsi sihlala sibabili lakhaya futsi kute lokhona kungetfwala kulesimo lengikuso. Noma ungeta utibonele wena, umlomo solo umhlophe utse hhu!” she said in vernacular loosely translating to: “They said I should personally go to the pay point but the problem is that we are only two here and no one can take me to the pay point due to my condition. I am dying of hunger).”

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