Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr JP de Villiers and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Joseph Mbele.
Following sustained pressure from the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ngwathe, SASSA has confirmed it is establishing a permanent office in Tumahole to bring services closer to the community. SASSA has also committed to increasing service visits to three times per week from July 2026.
This is a direct result of the community standing together. More than 3,000 residents of Parys, Tumahole, and Schonkenville signed the DA’s petition, sending an unmistakable message to SASSA and the Department of Social Development that the current situation is unacceptable.
We welcome this development. It shows that pressure works and that when a community speaks with one voice, it gets results.
However, this is not the finish line. Three visits per week are a step in the right direction, but it is not enough. A permanent office that is fully operational Monday to Friday, adequately staffed, and properly equipped is what this community needs and deserves.
The residents who have been travelling to the Fezile Dabi Stadium since before sunrise, the elderly pensioners standing for hours in the wind, the families making repeated trips at their own cost only to be turned away because the power is out or the system is offline, they deserve better than a partial solution.
The DA’s petition will remain open. Every additional signature strengthens our case and keeps the pressure on SASSA and the acting minister to follow through on this commitment with urgency and a clear timeline. Sign the petition at https://petitions.da.org.za/p/sassa-parys
The DA will not stop fighting until every resident of Parys, Tumahole, and Schonkenville has daily, dignified access to the social services they are entitled to.