Black First Land First (BLF) had in June 2020 lodged a complaint with the Public Protector Advocate Mkhwebane on behalf of three thousand, two hundred complainants. These three thousand people represent millions of poor and deserving people who have been denied their rightful share of the R500 billion that was allocated for Covid-19 relief. The bulk of the money went to white monopoly capital (WMC) and some to corrupt goverment officials.

The poor who applied for the R350 grant have in the main been denied even this small relief. The reasons for declining to help these poor millions do not make sense – they are unfair to the poor. That’s why BLF lodged the complaint with the Public Protector.

We are please to report that the Office of the Public Protector has been working on the complaint of BLF and we have been kept updated with developments.

The latest update indicated that 1263 of the 3204 applications queried by BLF had been subsequently approved and 1941 were declined by SASSA. To this end a spreadsheet by SASSA indicating the reasons for declining and/or querying the SRD applications was provided to us by the Public Protector. The spreadsheet also indicated that only 628 applicants (19.6%) were paid; and 14 more applicants who qualified, but didn’t have bank accounts, were not paid.

We note the progress with the 1263 applications from the over 3000 complaints which have been approved after BLF‘s complaint. However, it is worrying that only 19.6% of these have actually been paid.

BLF has written back to the Public Protector with suggested recommendations to deal with these complaints speedily and in the favour of the poor. The bureaucratic process is unfair to the poor and is informed by an unreasonable distrust of the poor. The whole world is moving towards a universal income grant. South Africa should be leading in this process.

Whilst the complaint lodged by BLF with the Public Protector accounts for just over 3000 complainants, in reality it’s a sample representation of millions of the poor.

BLF shall continue to engage the Office of Public Protector to ensure that the poor get what they deserve.

Issued by Black First Land First, National Coordinating Committee of (BLF NCC)

8 November 2020

Contact Details

Black First Land First Mail: [email protected]

Zanele Lwana
(BLF Deputy President)
Cell: +27 79 986 7225