Sassa suspends grant payments to KZN woman who abandoned kids
The South African Social Security Agency has suspended social grant payments to a KwaZulu-Natal woman who allegedly abandoned her four children.
The boys, aged between 10 and 16, have been taken in by neighbours in eThulini in Umvoti Local Municipality.
It's not known at this stage how long the children were left to fend for themselves.
Neighbours stepped in after fearing that their dilapidated home might collapse.
Social Development MEC Mbali Shinga and officials from her department then intervened over the weekend.
She says the boy's mother was still receiving the child grants after she disappeared.
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The department worked with SASSA to pause payments until a suitable guardian is appointed.
Shinga says they are in the process of moving the children to a facility where they will be safe and cared for.
She says they are also working with police to locate the mother.
"Irresponsible parents or guardians should brace themselves for the full might of the law. We will be doing unscheduled visits to ensure the safety and well-being of all the children and older persons in our centres and even to some households. It is no longer going to be business as usual. We want to restore the dignity of the people."
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