[VIDEOS] Police spray Sassa grant queue in Bellville with water cannons

Journalist Saawmiet Moos in Belville describes people queuing for Sassa social grants sprayed with police water cannons.

Shocking video footage of police using water cannons outside the Sassa office in Bellville this morning is being shared on social media of police spraying Sassa grant recipients queueing to have their temporary disability Sassa grants reinstated.

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People sprayed if they don't social distance at #Sassa Bellville @TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/rEQBrGNrry

— Jenni Evans (@itchybyte) January 15, 2021

Please keep your distance implores Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu from inside a police armoured vehicle at #Sassa Bellville. (@itchybyte) pic.twitter.com/izE5riZ7EU

— Team News24 (@TeamNews24) January 15, 2021

Lester Kiewit talks to journalist Saawmiet Moos who is on the scene in Belville where people queuing for Sassa social grants were sprayed with police water canons.

Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu can be heard shouting from inside a police van.

He says at 8 am on Friday morning a crowd of about 500 people was queueing to get into the office.

This caused some chaos and initially, the Metro police were there but very quickly they were followed up by the Western Cape public order police.

Saawmiet Moos, journalist

Some people told us they had been sleeping here for up to 8 nights to access the grant application process.

Saawmiet Moos, journalist

He says the issue people have is that should they lose their place in the queue they will not be assisted on that day.

The situation is desperate.

Saawmiet Moos, journalist

He says there were announcements from police as well as from Minister Zulu inside a police van.

Police then sprayed water in the air to get people to stand in the queue, but that has not really worked because at the moment the water makes people bunch up.

Saawmiet Moos, journalist

Zulu said 'I am here to try and make a difference' but what no one on the ground can understand is why wait until people's grants lapse and then try and take action and try and put things in place to give them grants again.

Saawmiet Moos, journalist

There are people who have not received grants since November, he says.

Listen below:

People are freaking out that they will lose their place in the queue as SAPS and Metro Police attempt to form a line at Belville #Sassa (@itchybyte) pic.twitter.com/Vp97Hq1oSc

— Team News24 (@TeamNews24) January 15, 2021

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