KNYSNA NEWS - Residents who rely on South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grants and services will have an opportunity to access assistance closer to home when a community outreach event is held at the Safe Hub Sports Field in White Location this Friday, 18 September.
The outreach follows months of challenges for Sassa beneficiaries in Knysna, following the disruption of services at local community facilities and the absence of a regular local venue offering these services.
For many elderly, vulnerable and grant-dependent residents, having to travel outside Knysna to access certain services has added transport costs and other difficulties.
Hornlee service point discontinued
The Hornlee Community Centre was previously used as a venue for Sassa services, providing beneficiaries with access closer to home. However, the arrangement was disrupted amid difficulties in finalising a formal agreement between Sassa and the Knysna Municipality, governing the continued use of municipal facilities.
Knysna Municipality has previously made some community halls available to Sassa. In June, the Council resolved to permit the continued free use of these municipal halls by Sassa for social grant services.
The municipality said the arrangement was intended to assist the residents while efforts to strengthen co-operation between the two institutions continued. The disruption left the beneficiaries having to travel to other Sassa offices for services that cannot be accessed through alternative channels.
Outreach event
Sassa invites residents to attend a community outreach event at the Safe Hub on Friday 18 September. The event is scheduled to run from 09:00 to 15:00 and aims to bring essential government and support services closer to the community.
Residents will have an opportunity to engage with government departments, access available services and obtain information and assistance relevant to their needs. Beneficiaries are reminded to bring their South African ID to facilitate access to the available services.
Transport will also be available to assist residents in attending the event.
Transport and contact details
Residents requiring transport assistance or wishing to establish available pick-up points are encouraged to contact Sassa on 0800 60 10 11 to enquire about arrangements for the outreach event.
Sassa lists the number as its call centre contact. Beneficiaries can also contact the Sassa George Local Office on 044 285 0040 for enquiries.
Residents are advised to specifically enquire about transport arrangements and designated pick-up points before travelling to the event.
The outreach provides beneficiaries with an opportunity to access government services closer to home while the need for reliable and accessible Sassa services in Knysna remains an ongoing concern. Residents are encouraged to make use of the outreach opportunity and bring their ID when attending.
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