The Black Sash has slammed the passing of a new bill which will cause thousands of people to lose their disability grants.
The Black Sash has slammed the passing of a new bill which will cause thousands of people to lose their disability grants.
The Social Assistance Amendment Bill, which was tabled last month by social development minister Edna Molewa, could prevent people who suffer from chronic illnesses from receiving government aid.
The bill redefines the term “disability” and will have the effect of further regulating eligibility for disability grants.
According to the bill, a person will be classified as disabled, and therefore eligible for a disability grant, if there is a moderate to severe limitation of that person’s ability to function as a result of a physical, sensory, communication, intellectual or mental disability, which would then prevent that person from gaining employment.
Black Sash Advocacy Programme Manager Ratula Beukman says that as the bill stands, only those who become “functionally disabled” will be able to receive social assistance in future.
“What it essentially means is that only when you become so sick that you can’t look after yourself or support yourself, can you apply for income support.
It basically encourages those who are already chronically ill to become disabled as well. The Black Sash argues that it is only with some income support that poor people can manage chronic illnesses.
We believe these reforms will have a widespread negative impact on thousands of individuals and households currently battling the dual hardships of poverty and illness,” insists Beukman.
In its submission, the Black Sash has asked that provision be made for those living with a chronic illness and that those currently on disability grants, are not cut off under the new legislation.
“We understand the need to implement a standardised disability assessment tool so that it’s not left up to the sole discretion of state doctors to decide who gets support.
“However, it would be extremely short sighted to withdraw all assistance to poor, chronically ill people who depend on the grant to help them access proper nutrition, shelter and treatment.
“Helping sick people participate meaningfully in society is not just our Constitutional duty, it also makes social and economic sense to prevent people from becoming functionally disabled and unproductive,” said Beukman.
If the bill is passed it will also have the effect of creating a double process for appeals. Presently, when people apply for a disability grant they submit their applications to the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa).
If their application is unsuccessful, they then have the option of appealing to an independent appeals tribunal.
However, the bill will require unsuccessful applicants to first appeal to Sassa before appealing to the independent tribunal.
This would put even more pressure on an already backlogged process. Public hearings for the bill in Parliament are now closed.
