Social grant deductions: Sanlam wants to delay court case

Johannesburg - Sanlam’s Channel Life unit requested that a court postpone a case it brought against the government to get clarity on how the state-welfare system will be cleaned up to allow money to be deducted from monthly grants for funeral cover.

Channel Life needs more time to consider new government regulations unveiled at the end of last week before it can pursue the hearing, Channel Life lawyer Ben Swart told the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.

The insurer is among companies which legally sell funeral cover to welfare recipients.

The government is trying to clamp down on illegal deductions from welfare payments for mobile-phone airtime, loans and other services. It also wants to confirm that all welfare recipients have mandated any deductions from their social grants.