Social Development Minister Susan Shabangu and CEO of the social security agency Sassa, Abraham Mahlangu have assured Scopa that action will be taken against officials found to have violated the agency’s supply chain processes.
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts lambasted Sassa officials after it emerged that the violation was made when planning three events totally R4 million each in KwaZulu-Natal.
Sassa officials appeared before Scopa on Tuesday.
Scopa raised concerns about the fact that former acting Chief Executive Officer of Sassa Pearl Bhengu, speedily approved the request for these events without the three required quotes.
The committee said that it was apparent that prices were inflated for getting the required services.
DA committee member Timothy Brauteseth says the numbers simply do not add up.
“Each event came to about R4 million, but you can go to a website which I went to, you’ll find that it will cost you about R200 000 to hire the convention hall at the ICC in Durban for 500 delegates. It shows that there were huge over-inflation costs,” says Brauteseth.
