Sassa beneficiaries will be paid on April 1 but...
SASSA Debacle | 27 March 2017
Mayibongwe Maqhina
Johannesburg – Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini on Sunday
gave assurances that social grants would be paid as usual to the more
than 17 million beneficiaries at the beginning of April.
However, only those who are paid via their bank accounts will receive
their social grants on April 1. Those who usually collect grants at
South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) pension paypoints will be
able to do so only on April 3.
The Constitutional Court, in a judgment scathing of Minister Bathabile
Dlamini, ordered that Cash Paymaster Services continue to disburse
social grants.
“All is on track for the payment of grants from April 1,” Dlamini’s
spokesperson Lumka Oliphant said.
As the first of the month was on a Saturday, Sassa paypoints would not
be open on that day.
“On April 3, Sassa paypoints will operate as normal, and recipients are
encouraged to go on their respective days to respective paypoints as
indicated on the slips they received last month,” Oliphant said.
However, special provision would be made for the busiest merchants and ATMs.
Regional executive managers would be deployed to monitor and assist
beneficiaries with enquiries.
“A letter to the national police commissioner has been sent for a
request to increase police visibility across the country,” Oliphant said.
“The department emphasises that normal business processes will continue.
Any form of lapsing or suspensions that may occur may not imply a
failure to pay by Sassa,” she added.
There had been anxiety and fears that pension grant beneficiaries could
be left without cash on April 1 because the contract with Cash Paymaster
Services (CPS) was meant to expire on Friday.
The Constitutional Court had declared the contract invalid, but it
allowed CPS to continue to make pension grant payments.
The department was expected to have taken over the pension grant
payments or to have appointed another company to do so. But it could not
keep this undertaking that it made to the court.
Attempts by the department to extend the contract were refused by
National Treasury, which said that to do so would be in contempt of the
Constitutional Court.
However, the court extended the contract for 12 months and gave Dlamini
until March 31 to explain why she should not be personally liable for
court costs.
The court had ordered that the National Treasury grant deviation to
allow the contract to be extended and that the department appraise the
court every three months on progress made to take over the payment of
grants.
Soon after the Constitutional Court ruling, President Jacob Zuma, who
refused to fire Dlamini over the saga, took over the leadership of an
inter-ministerial committee overlooking the matter.
“Beyond the important directive from the Constitutional Court, the
committee will also focus on comprehensive social security reforms with
a view to addressing the gaps and weaknesses identified and ensuring the
provision of a comprehensive social security for all,” Zuma said at the
time.
On Sunday, DA spokesperson Bridget Masango said her party welcomed
Dlamini’s statement on plans regarding the payment of the grant on April 1.
“We wish it didn’t go the way it has. We believe that everything will be
done as it was ordered by the Constitutional Court in the best interests
of the 17 million beneficiaries," Masango said.
“We hope it will go well, but we are of the view this (April 1) is not
the end of the matter. There still needs to be investigation. So much
resources have been wasted on a saga that should not have taken place,”
she said.
Dlamini again apologised for the anxiety caused by the saga.
“The minister wishes to reiterate her unreserved apology," Oliphant said.
source URL:
Sassa beneficiaries will be paid on April 1 but...
SASSA Debacle | 27 March 2017
Mayibongwe Maqhina
Johannesburg – Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini on Sunday
gave assurances that social grants would be paid as usual to the more
than 17 million beneficiaries at the beginning of April.
However, only those who are paid via their bank accounts will receive
their social grants on April 1. Those who usually collect grants at
South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) pension paypoints will be
able to do so only on April 3.
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The Constitutional Court, in a judgment scathing of Minister Bathabile
Dlamini, ordered that Cash Paymaster Services continue to disburse
social grants. File photo. Picture: Etienne CreuxThe Constitutional
Court, in a judgment scathing of Minister Bathabile Dlamini, ordered
that Cash Paymaster Services continue to disburse social grants. File
photo. Picture: Etienne Creux
“All is on track for the payment of grants from April 1,” Dlamini’s
spokesperson Lumka Oliphant said.
As the first of the month was on a Saturday, Sassa paypoints would not
be open on that day.
“On April 3, Sassa paypoints will operate as normal, and recipients are
encouraged to go on their respective days to respective paypoints as
indicated on the slips they received last month,” Oliphant said.
However, special provision would be made for the busiest merchants and ATMs.
Regional executive managers would be deployed to monitor and assist
beneficiaries with enquiries.
“A letter to the national police commissioner has been sent for a
request to increase police visibility across the country,” Oliphant said.
“The department emphasises that normal business processes will continue.
Any form of lapsing or suspensions that may occur may not imply a
failure to pay by Sassa,” she added.
There had been anxiety and fears that pension grant beneficiaries could
be left without cash on April 1 because the contract with Cash Paymaster
Services (CPS) was meant to expire on Friday.
The Constitutional Court had declared the contract invalid, but it
allowed CPS to continue to make pension grant payments.
The department was expected to have taken over the pension grant
payments or to have appointed another company to do so. But it could not
keep this undertaking that it made to the court.
Attempts by the department to extend the contract were refused by
National Treasury, which said that to do so would be in contempt of the
Constitutional Court.
However, the court extended the contract for 12 months and gave Dlamini
until March 31 to explain why she should not be personally liable for
court costs.
The court had ordered that the National Treasury grant deviation to
allow the contract to be extended and that the department appraise the
court every three months on progress made to take over the payment of
grants.
Soon after the Constitutional Court ruling, President Jacob Zuma, who
refused to fire Dlamini over the saga, took over the leadership of an
inter-ministerial committee overlooking the matter.
“Beyond the important directive from the Constitutional Court, the
committee will also focus on comprehensive social security reforms with
a view to addressing the gaps and weaknesses identified and ensuring the
provision of a comprehensive social security for all,” Zuma said at the
time.
On Sunday, DA spokesperson Bridget Masango said her party welcomed
Dlamini’s statement on plans regarding the payment of the grant on April 1.
“We wish it didn’t go the way it has. We believe that everything will be
done as it was ordered by the Constitutional Court in the best interests
of the 17 million beneficiaries," Masango said.
“We hope it will go well, but we are of the view this (April 1) is not
the end of the matter. There still needs to be investigation. So much
resources have been wasted on a saga that should not have taken place,”
she said.
Dlamini again apologised for the anxiety caused by the saga.
“The minister wishes to reiterate her unreserved apology," Oliphant said.
The Star
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