HUNDREDS ACCESS ESSENTIAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES AT CHATSWORTH ICROP

By DSD News

• Despite persistent rain, 758 residents accessed government services at the Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP) at Crossmoor Cricket Ground in Chatsworth.
• South African Social Services (SASSA) Home Affairs, the Department of Social Development, the Department of Employment and Labour, and financial service providers offered on-site help, including ID applications, grant enquiries and 39 new bank accounts.
• Minister of Social Development Ms Dina Pule called on families to protect older persons and warned against exploiting them through their social grants.

Despite rain throughout the day, community members came out in numbers to access essential government services at the Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP), held at Crossmoor Cricket Ground in Chatsworth, KwaZulu-Natal, on Tuesday, 27 October 2026.

The programme recorded a total intake of 758 people against a target of 1 000, demonstrating the continued need for accessible government services within communities.

SASSA recorded 125 general enquiries and 110 enquiries relating to the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, as well as two applications for the Child Support and Older Person’s grants.

Home Affairs assisted with 39 ID applications, six late registrations, eight ID collections and eight blocked-ID cases. The Department of Social Development recorded 23 enquiries and 25 appeals, while the Department of Employment and Labour received 28 application forms and recorded 27 enquiries.

Financial service providers opened 39 bank accounts, while other participating organisations provided support in education, community development and related services. These included Coastal KZN College, Digi NPO, the National Development Agency (NDA), APD KZN, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), the Department of Water and Sanitation, and Eyethu Community Organisation.

Addressing the community, the Minister of Social Development, Ms Dina Pule, emphasised the importance of protecting older persons, promoting their well-being and responding to cases of abuse and neglect.
“The Department of Social Development provides services aimed at protecting older persons, supporting their well-being and responding to cases of abuse and neglect.

These services are delivered in partnership with relevant stakeholders, including community organisations and providers of care and support services,” said Minister Pule.
The Minister encouraged families to treat older persons with patience and dignity, and warned against exploiting them through their social grants.
“I encourage families to care for their elderly relatives with patience and dignity. An older person’s grant must never become a reason to exploit that person or to deny them control over their own resources,” she said.
“We must build communities where older persons are safe, included and able to live their later years with dignity,” added Minister Pule.