Makashule Gana, RISE Mzansi’s National Assembly Caucus Whip, has accused the Minister of Social Development, Sisisi Tolashe, of avoiding responsibility when it comes to the welfare of Sassa grant recipients.
Gana contends that Minister Tolashe has a duty to ensure that Sassa grant recipients are protected from the risks that come with excessive gambling.
This comes after he posed a question to the Minister, during Wednesday’s sitting of the National Assembly, as to whether her department has identified gambling as one of the priority social ills that is affecting the poor masses who depend on social grants.
“Rather than showing care, the Minister simply stated that this matter lies outside of her purview, and passed the buck onto the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, despite too many SASSA grant recipients falling victim to gambling addiction as a means to cope with the high cost of living, only to lose some of, if not all of, their grant money,” Gana said.
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Several studies indicate that gambling can often lead to depression, hopelessness and anxiety, while financial strain can also result in the breakdown of social relationships, promote isolation as well as dramatically reduce the quality of life overall.
When people are chronically jobless, as is the case with South Africa, and those who are working constantly battle with the reality of stagnant low-wages, the next best thing for anyone in that position is to try and supplement one’s income with sports betting.
While gambling has been proven to affect all sectors of society, those with limited to no disposable income do suffer the most.
The South African betting industry, encompassing sports betting and online casinos, has reportedly seen its revenue increase from R8.8 billion during the 2019/20 financial year to R23.7 billion in 2022/23. These figures indicate a surge in the number of people who partake in gambling activities.
Gana further argued that when Sassa grant recipients lose their money, the Minister of Social Development should be concerned and motivated to tackle the problem.
He urged the Ministry to collaborate with the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition to provide grant recipients with educational and counselling programmes for gambling.
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