City launches improved Extended Social Package
12 June 2017
Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health and Social Development Dr Mpho Phalatse has launched an improved and more accessible Extended Social Package (ESP) to provide much-needed relief to the city’s indigent and vulnerable households.
MMC Phalatse launched the City's new ESP on Sunday, 11 June at the Jabulani Civic Centre in Soweto, Region D.
MMC Phalatse will in the coming days visit the City's remaining six regions to encourage indigent households to register or re-register for ESP benefits.
The move is in line with the City’s pro-poor agenda being championed by Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba, who addressed the importance of the ESP in fighting poverty during his State of the City Address (SOCA) in May.
The ESP is a basket of benefits provided to vulnerable citizens such as the unemployed, the elderly and people with disabilities based on their level of poverty.
It has been designed to help disadvantaged individuals and households living on a monthly income of less than R5 308.20 gain access to water, electricity, refuse removal and property rates rebates.
“This programme is nothing new. But as the new administration we’re committed to ensuring that people who are supposed to benefit from this programme have access to it,” MMC Phalatse said.
She said her department would hold open days in various regions to reach as many indigent residents as possible.
Registrations and re-registrations start on Monday, 12 June.
"We’re looking at capitalising on clinics that have an e-health platform to do ESP registrations and capacitating other clinics to offer the service,” MMC Phalatse explained.
She said in the past people were only able to register for ESP benefits at the City’s Revenue Customer Service Centres.
“We also have social workers who will be going to the homes of people with disabilities and senior citizens to assist them with applications and re-registrations," said MMC Phalatse.
She said the City would take the free basic six kilolitres of water benefit away from residents who could afford. “Depending on household income, our poorest residents will receive between 10 and 15 kilolitres of free water per household per month. This is above the national recommendation of six kilolitres. This allocation also falls in line with the City’s pro-poor agenda,” said MMC Phalatse.
MMC Phalatse added that the City’s food bank would be linked to the ESP to enable the indigent to receive free vegetables regularly.
“We have a Food Resilience Unit in the Department of Social Development but we encourage people to grow their own vegetables so they don’t become dependent on the City,” MMC Phalatse said.
She said the City would add more services to the ESP depending on individual needs. New and re-registration will be conducted at specific clinics in all the City’s regions. Normal registrations will continue at selected Revenue Customer Service Centres.
Indigent households in Soweto can register or re-register for ESP benefits at Orlando West, Elias Motsoaledi, Tladi, Mofolo South, Protea Glen, Green Village and Slovoville clinics by Thursday, 15 June.
Documents required include proof of income (e.g. a South African Social Security Agency card), three months' bank statement, identity document, electricity account or prepaid electricity card or meter number, and a water account.
The ESP is renewable every six months.