Johannesburg – The government means well. The provision of grants to children, the disabled, the unemployed and the elderly is one of good gestures by our government.
Sassa is the breadwinner. Thus, I found myself hanging out with grant beneficiaries.
These are guys who ordinarily should be working, but as everybody knows, the jobs have long dried up, even before the pandemic. One thing about this bunch is that they wake up every morning with nothing to do. They gallivant, looking for a piece job. As for the almost two grand they receive monthly from Sassa, they drink it within two days. In fact, most of the money goes to abomashonisa, because these guys are indebted to the hilt.
Their bank cards reside with loan sharks, who withdraw their money with interest and leave them without a penny.
The cycle is vicious. The money goes even before they have bought food and other necessities.
I tried my best to be a financial adviser, but it was all in vain. Let’s take Justice for instance.
Last month, he got more than R4 000 because Sassa failed to pay him the previous month. He claims to have asthma and walks around with an empty asthma spray to convince the gullible.
Many moons ago, he worked at the mines, but now he’s resigned himself to what life has thrown at him.
Majasto drinks a concoction sold at the myriad shops owned by Pakistanis. It looks like brown sugar and is quick to brew. It is sold at shebeens for R5 a half a litre. Pakistanis don’t drink it themselves.
I have seen people who drink this “gemmer” pee themselves, but it is a favourite even with young women, who start to drink it at sunrise. So, after Sassa gave Majasto a page that confirms he will receive his R4 000 in the next pay date, he walked around with the paper soliciting debt.
Pakistanis also give Sassa beneficiaries groceries on credit and Majasto is a loyal customer. Unfortunately, after taking a chicken on credit, he sells it to Maspoto (shebeen queen) in exchange for booze.
On the day he got his money, his bank card was with a loan shark who emptied the account.
Majasto was forced to borrow more money from the loan shark to get through the month, or a couple of days.
I finally understood why Majasto always pesters me to do my garden. I tried to advise him on how to survive on R2 000 in a month without asking for credit.
He pretended to be listening but retorted that the money was too little. Yes, Majasto, the money is too little.
Money can never be enough and the cost of living is too high.
The government has quoted research that shows that without child and disability grants, the nation would be poorer, but I doubt if Sassa knows the money goes to airtime, hair salons, Savannah and “gemmer”.
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