The Human Rights Commission is concerned about the pension situation in the Eastern Cape. Recent newspaper reports paint a very dark picture about the human suffering and misery pension beneficiaries have to endure at various pay points around the province. Beneficiaries, it is reported ,have to stand in endless queues only to be told to come back the next day or that the pay point has run out of money. In some instances death is reported to have occurred.

It is indeed very sad and disturbing that the people who are subjected to this kind of suffering are our elderly, the sick and frail (not that this kind of treatment would be acceptable to a particular sector of our society) who deserve a far better treatment.

At the heart of all this human suffering are the constitutionally protected rights of human dignity, life, freedom and security of a person, social security, and health care that our Constitution guarantees to pension beneficiaries, amongst other people.

The Commission is deeply concerned that the prevailing state of affairs is a gross violation of the rights, as stated above, of the affected beneficiaries. In this regard, we welcome the provincial department’s advice that the service provider must clear up its act and account for the apparent very bad service. We are however concerned that no deadline has been set for them to shape up, the absence of which leaves the possibility of suffering on-going. The Commission welcome the appointment of a National Task Team to the Eastern Cape and expresses the hope that their intervention will lead to a speedy alleviation of the situation. However the Commission will continue to monitor the situation closely in terms of its broad mandate.

Issued by: South African Human Rights Commission
Date: 14 January 2003
For more information contact:
Phumla Mthala Tel: (011) 484-8300

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