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Home / Ministry to reinstate social grant for infirm man
Ministry to reinstate social grant for infirm man
2018-02-28Staff Report 2 Eveline de Klerk Swakopmund-The Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare says the social grant of 38-year-old disabled Rehoboth resident Donavan van Schalkwyk, which was stopped last month, will be reinstated immediately. Van Schalkwyk is being cared for by his 68-year-old, pensioner mother Sophia van Schalkwyk. His grant was halted last month after his condition was not verified last year by social workers. Bedridden Van Schalkwyk has been on a social grant since he was eight months old due to meningitis. His plight was highlighted by his family last week as they could not cope with the high living costs and daily expenses needed to care for him. Meanwhile, the chief public relations officer at the ministry, Lot Ndamanonhata, yesterday thanked New Era for bringing Van Schalkwyk’s plight to the attention of the ministry. He added that the permanent secretary, Iben Nashandi, personally intervened and ordered that the grant be immediately reinstated. “We also engaged with the family yesterday and assured them that the grant will available to them in due course,” he said. According to Ndamanonhata, an outstanding medical certificate resulted in verification of the grant not being done on time. The certificate in question was submitted on February 7 to social workers at Rehoboth, according to the Van Schalkwyk family. Ndamanonhata yesterday said the certificate was forwarded on Monday to the ministry’s regional office in Mariental for processing. “However, the family do not need to wait until April as the grant will be made available as soon as possible due to the ministry’s intervention. Hence, we want to thank New Era for highlighting the plight of the family, which resulted in immediate action,” he said. Meanwhile, Herbert van Schalkwyk yesterday said the response of Namibians has been overwhelming, as many have opened their hearts towards the family. “My mother and brother are getting support of all sorts and we are so thankful for it,” he said yesterday. 2018-02-28Staff Report 2
