Dozens of people waited for hours outside Noluthando and BB Zondani halls on Wednesday 26 March, waiting for officials from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) to register them for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) programme.
Dozens of people waited for hours outside Noluthando and BB Zondani halls on Wednesday 26 March, waiting for officials from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) to register them for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) programme.
One woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told Grocott's Mail that she had been queueing since 5am that morning and was giving up and preparing to go home when reporters spoke to her at 11am.
When our reporters left the scene at noon, Sassa had still not arrived.
Luzuko Quina, provincial spokesperson for Sassa, has said that anyone who meets the criteria for the programme can come and apply at Sassa offices year-round.
Qhina said the programme is supposed to temporarily provide people with food in emergencies or times of distress.
He emphasised that food parcels are not a provision for people who are unemployed, but for those who are in distress.
Sassa isn't the only government institution that offers this kind of provision, he added.
R67 million had been allocated to the SRD programme for the 2013 financial year.
Quina has also denied that the SRD programme, also known as 'food parcels', is being rolled-out aggressively solely for elections.
Qhina said: " there has been a broadening in the scope of SRD in the past 2 years owing to disasters and malnutrition."
"I do not understand what significant increase SRD has had, as this is a natural progression like all other grants. Furthermore, the processes are no different… It is strange that increases in other grant types are not questioned, although the procedure is the same," Quina said.
The programme came under fire from opposition parties and civil rights organisations last year, with many alleging that it was a 'food for votes' stunt.
This week, programmes officer at GADRA Advice and activist Ntuthu Blow said that the government violates the dignity of the people by giving them food just "5 minutes before elections".
Blow said: "the constitution of the country states clearly that everyone has a right to live in harmony with food security but the government subjects its people to hunger for 5 years before giving them food".
Last year, Agang SA leader Mamphela Pamphele slammed the ANC for allegedly hijacking a government food programme to lure votes from poor people.
