WATCH: Water outage, locked toilets disrupt services at Umlazi SASSA office

Every weekday, a sea of blankets and folding chairs lines the pavement outside the Umlazi SASSA office from as early as 4am as grant applicants queue for help. 

However, they are repeatedly turned away after queuing from early morning, where officials cite water shortages and unsafe toilets.

For residents from Umlazi, Isipingo, Ngonyameni, Bluff, Chatsworth and Wentworth, this is the only local office which handles grant applications.

When the sundaytribune.co.za arrived at the facility at 2pm on Wednesday, officials were turning away applicants, claiming there was a water outage. 

When our journalist checked the locked toilets, water was seen spraying out of a burst pipe. 

Toilets for both men and women were locked due to its poor state. 

According to the applicants, the toilets had been closed for three months. 

They claimed the office frequently turned people away just after lunchtime due to municipal water shortages and broken toilets, which officials described as a health hazard.

Child support grant applicant Faith Ngcobo, 29, from Ngonyameni, said she had queued four times at the SASSA offices with no luck.

"I arrived as early as 4am but have been turned away by midday. Whenever we were close to entering, the officials told us that they had reached the day's limit of 50 people," she said.

Ngcobo said being turned away four times was unfair to her and other applicants who encountered the same issue. 

"Some of us borrow money to come here. Going home without help is devastating and unacceptable. The government needs to do something about this SASSA office," she said. 

Candice Chetty, another grant applicant, said that when she arrived at 4am, her queue number was already 65.

By 1pm, she had still not been helped to get her child’s grant.

“I have been sent from pillar to post. Today, I am here for the fifth time. This is completely unfair for us as applicants because we leave our homes early, but we do not get assistance when we get to SASSA offices,” said Chetty.

Disability grant applicant, Siboniso Mhlongo, said he had visited the offices three times with no luck of getting help. 

"The issue here is that the officials are too lazy to work. At 1pm, one staff member will come out and tell us that they will not be able to help everyone, but if we choose to stay, it is our choice. This will happen when there are not even 50 people inside the office itself yet,” he claimed.

"I feel that it is unfair as many of us depend on SASSA. Many are  unemployed and cannot afford to go back and forth," said Mhlongo.

Responding to what the exact operating hours are for the Umlazi local office, Mbizeni Mdlalosa, SASSA KZN spokesperson, said all their offices operated from 7:30am to 4pm during weekdays. 

"One cannot predict the time when beneficiaries will be serviced. This also depends on the kind of service the person requires. We have engaged our stakeholders including the eThekwini municipality regarding the issue of water. It seems water is a challenge in the area, which increases the risk of hygiene," he said. 

Mdlalose said they had decided to look for alternative offices, which are currently being prepared.

When asked about the average wait time for an in-person grant review or application at this branch, Mdlalose stated it depended on whether the person had all the required documents and it normally took one day. 

"But, some of the beneficiaries ignore our communication which results in their grants being put under investigation, causing delays for their grants to be reviewed and reinstated," he said. 

Mdlalose mentioned that they were envisaging to move into new offices in December. 

"The general reviews cannot be done online. However they can do life certification online through the online portal E life certification. If applicants do not get help in Umlazi offices, they can go to our nearest alternative SASSA offices at Lamontville Sizakala Center, Wentworth WOW centre, Mnini Thusong Centre, Durban Station and Nsimbini at Folweni."

Mdlalose said the Umlazi offices were facing the biggest challenge of scrap metal thieves who were stealing the copper pipes which resulted in the water outages.