Sassa to provide food, cash vouchers, blankets and essential supplies to EC families affected by floods

South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) CEO Themba Matlou has pledged to help families affected by the floods in the Eastern Cape with essential needs.

The province was hit by floods this week, affecting several towns and villages, with the OR Tambo and Amathole district municipalities the hardest hit. The floods destroyed homes and claimed 78 lives.

Matlou said the agency will help families whose homes were destroyed through its social relief of distress programme.

“To this end, Sassa is active on three established sites where about 229 people are served with three nutritious meals a day, reinforcing the agency's commitment to immediate food security. In addition, 229 vanity packs and five baby packs have been procured and distributed to meet essential personal and infant care needs,” he said.

Sassa has developed a disengagement plan where they provide beneficiaries with a basic needs package to help restore stability. The package includes:

• two-ply blankets; 
• one mattress per person; 
• cash vouchers to address short-term financial needs; and 
• school uniforms for affected pupils.

Matlou said this is in line with the agency's mandate derived from the Social Assistance Act.

“Social relief of distress is temporary provision of assistance intended for people in such dire material need that they are unable to meet their families' most basic needs. We also offer our condolences to the families of the deceased and wish a speedy recovery to those who are injured.

“We are working closely with the relevant stakeholders in the social cluster of the province to ensure maximum support is given to the distressed families. We extend our gratitude to stakeholders, partners and community members who continue to support this vital work.”

TimesLIVE