The DA is to ask that Social Development Minister Susan Shabangu be required to account to Parliament about reports regarding the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
SASSA is reported to have cancelled the bidding process to find an alternative service provider to Cash Paymaster Services (CPS), for the distribution of cash grants.
The DA says it will write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Rosemary Capa to request that she urgently invites Shabangu to appear before it.
The party says Shabangu is toying with the lives of 2.8 million vulnerable South Africans who depend on these grants.
Court papers have allegedly shown that Minister Shabangu plans to establish a technical committee to advise her on the transition from CPS to another distributor, instead of the cancelled bidding process.
Earlier parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) described SASSA as a failed entity.
1. Marquee: R485 000
2. Flooring: R482 000
3. Chairs & ‘Decor’: R487 000
4. Catering: R493 000
5. Transport: R493 000;
6. Sound: R492 000
7. Gifts: R480 000This is just one function proudly brought to you by #SASSA under then Minister #BathabileDlamini & then CEO #PearlBhengu.
— Mkhuleko Hlengwa, MP ?? (@MkhulekoHlengwa) May 22, 2018
SASSA appeared before Scopa to account for R1.4 billion irregular expenditure incurred during the 2016/17 financial year while still under the leadership of former minister Bathabile Dlamini.
The Agency was also asked to account for R16 million requested and approved within a day for 4 “education events” in Kwazulu-Natal last December, while it took the same entity nearly 5 months to answer a single parliamentary question.
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