Salvation Army adds its concern over social grant payments

Monday 06 March 2017 I For immediate release

Deep concern has been expressed by the head of The Salvation Army in southern Africa, Colonel Keith Conrad, regarding uncertainties over the payment of social grants from 1 April 2017.

The Salvation Army runs several homes for the elderly, babies and children throughout South Africa and will be severely impacted should social grants not materialise at the beginning of next month.

“Despite assurances given by the Minister of Social Development over the weekend and previously, it is not at all clear that comprehensive and plans are in place to ensure that social grants are paid out on 1 April, following the conclusion of the contract between Cash Paymaster Services and the South African Social Services Agency (SASSA),” Colonel Conrad said.

He added that in addition to the services provided by The Salvation Army for the vulnerable, the organisation was deeply concerned about the impact this would have on poor people.

“The poorest of the poor simply do not have the capacity to absorb even one day’s delay in payment of their grants. For them, this will be disastrous.”

“Some of these people live in the most remote of South Africa’s rural areas. Their survival is from one grant payment day to the next. Any delay at all causes huge hardship,” he said.

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The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by love for God, and its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs without discrimination.

The Southern Africa Territory of The Salvation Army encompasses four countries – South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland – and the island of St Helena. Its officers, soldiers and full-time employees provide their spiritual and community services through approximately 230 corps (churches), societies and outposts, as well as through schools, hospitals, institutions for children, street children, the elderly, men and abused women, and daycare, goodwill, rehabilitation and social centres.

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