Morrice Kok, chairperson, Woodlands Residents’ Association (WRA)
We, Woodlands Residents’ Association (WRA), feel greatly honoured to write this follow-up letter to you as we can greatly inform you that the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) service points will be returning to Mitchell’s Plain from Monday October 7.
When a Sassa employee was assaulted and equipment damaged at a Sassa service point at Woodlands community hall on Thursday March 14, Sassa decided to withdraw its service points in the greater Mitchell’s Plain area to ensure the safety of its employees, stakeholders and clients (residents).
Consultation meetings were conducted, between March and September and a mutual agreement was reached that all Sassa, private businesses, SAPS and the community would work together to ensure the safety of all at the service points.
WRA therefore would like to thank each and every community member and stakeholders who participated in our community and stakeholders’ meetings and supported us to ensure that Sassa service points would return to our communities.
But, we would also like to take this opportunity to thank Sassa and its respective unions, including their staff and not forgetting the different stakeholders and private businesses, for coming to work in the community at these respective service points, providing the needed community service.
Shivani Wahab, SASSA regional spokesperson, responds:
Sassa can confirm that the service points that were closed within the Mitchell’s Plain area will be open from Monday October 7.
Several community meetings were held with the Woodlands Residents’ Association and relevant stakeholders to discuss a way forward in respect of the reopening of the service points.
A mutual agreement was reached with Sassa, City of Cape Town’s law enforcement, private businesses, SAPS, local community policing forums, relevant stakeholders and the community we serve, to work together in ensuring the safety of officials and clients.
The service points will be operational between 8.30am and 3.30pm at:
Woodlands civic centre, in Mitchell Avenue on Monday October 7;
Rocklands community centre, in Park Avenue on Tuesday October 8;
Nelson Mandela Family and Youth Centre (Thusong Centre), on the corner of Pyrenees and Kilimanjaro streets in Tafelsig, on Wednesday October 9; and
Samora Machel community hall on Thursday October 10.
Sassa is committed to delivering on its mandate which is to administer social security services to eligible children, senior citizens and people with disabilities.