Tolashe says social development dept working to address SASSA challenges

CAPE TOWN - Social Development Minister Nokuzola Tolashe said that officials in her department were working around the clock to address social service challenges facing South Africans.

Tolashe was in Cape Town this week assessing social grant services operations at the offices of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).

While visiting Delft on Thursday, the minister heard about how the elderly and disabled people, as well as pregnant women, slept outside SASSA offices in hopes of being assisted.

READ: Delft community urges Social Development minister to bring services closer to the people

Tolashe acknowledged that this was a countrywide problem and promised to address it.

The minister said she understood the risks that social grant recipients faced.

"The situation here is daring, people sleep over in the queues. Crime is very bad and gender-based violence and femicide in particular. Now if we allow that to happen, it means we are exposing them to that, and we cannot afford to do that," Tolashe said.