Mense were turned away from the Sassa office in Eerste River on Wednesday after the offices were closed due to a worker testing positive for Covid-19.
This will put more pressure on other Sassa offices which are not coping with the influx of people after being closed for several weeks due to the lockdown.
Sassa is yet to go back to the old system of using community halls to attend to people who want to make new applications, block cards or have other queries.
Resident Leon Klaaste said he had hoped that the offices would only be closed for a couple of hours and then reopen to resume serving the people, but that didn’t happen.
“What is the use of closing for many days when the people who tested positive are moved?
“We need the services more than ever now that they are no longer visiting communities.
“I will come to check again because they did not say when they will open.”
Sassa spokesperson Shivani Wahab said she does not know when they will reopen.
“Sassa can confirm that the premises are shared with the provincial department of Social Development.
“Sassa has finalised the disinfection process in respect of the Covid-19 Hygiene Protocol to ensure a safe environment for our staff.
“The Department of Social Development has not finalised their processes and until this is done, the site won’t reopen for services.”
Meanwhile, in Khayelitsha, people continue sleeping outside Sassa offices and residents have now started a soup kitchen for them.
velani.ludidi@inl.co.za