THOHOYANDOU – A Limpopo woman is angry at the Department of Health and Welfare, as the officials are refusing to give her a dependency grant for her son, "because it is too much."

Ms Mashudu Mabungo (35), of Block F in Thohoyandou, expressed her disappointment and frustrations after an officer in Polokwane told her they cannot give her the amount of R8 180, due to her son. Mabungo said her son, Dale (8), was declared to be hyper-active by the doctors at Siloam Hospital last August and therefore she qualified for a child dependency grant.

Mabungo, a mother of two, who is also self-employed, said she has been struggling to pay for the education of her child at the New Horizon School in Polokwane. Since the application of R700 monthly grant was made last year, Mabungo said the officers at pay points at Golgotha, have been telling her that her "money was not in".

However, Mabungo said she was shocked to find out from the welfare offices in Thohoyandou that there was R8 180, for her son. That was on August 6. The officer, Mr Ramabulana, advised her to go and collect the money at the same pay point, the following day, Thursday. To her disappointment, the paymasters again refused to give her the money, saying that it was too much. After being taken from one point to another, Mabungo decided to phone the Welfare offices in Polokwane, where a certain Mr Simon Meso told her to come with a confirmation letter from Thohoyandou office.

Besides providing the letter, Meso allegedly told Mabungo on Friday to come with the file from the Thohoyandou office. Mabungo said she was very disappointed and confused by the whole process. She even challenged the department of not adhering to their own principle of Batho Pele.

The spokesperson for the department, Phuthi Seloba, said he would investigate the matter