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Mbombela — The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) in Mpumalanga has urged community members to stop fighting over child support grants as children suffered the most.

This comes after the agency received numerous complaints about family members who fight one another over the payments of child support grants.

“We urge people to stop fighting over child support grants. All primary caregivers must provide the proof that they aren’t the biological parents or guardian, but responsible for taking care of the child,” said provincial manager, Moffat Mogane, this week.

Mogane said Sassa was often caught in the middle of family rows and had to adjudicate cases in order to determine the rightful recipients of particular grants.

He said the agency received many enquiries from primary caregivers being challenged by families and relatives that they are not qualified to look after children.

He added that the Social Assistance Act clearly stated child support grants were meant for the child and the payment is effected to any person, parent or guardian, responsible or looking after a child who qualified for a grant.

Regional spokesperson for the agency, Senzeni Ngubeni. said people who wanted to look after children must have an affidavit from a police officer, social worker or a letter from the child’s school principal.

“Primary caregivers who still need to register for child support grants must be aware that their application will be unsuccessful without the proof,” he said.

He emphasised that this proof allowed Sassa officials to process the application and ensured that the rightful person received the child support grant.

“This document will also testify that you aren’t stealing from the government pocket,” Ngubeni said. – AFP