The Constitutional Court on Friday afternoon allowed the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) to extend its contract with Cash Paymaster Services’ (CPS) by another six months.
Earlier this month, the ConCourt demanded that both Sassa and the South African Post Office (SAPO) clarify the contingency measures put in place to deal with the payment of social grants
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Former Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini was an evasive and obstructive witness during an inquiry into whether she should be held personally liable for the costs incurred during the Sassa payments crisis, the inquiry heard on Monday.
During his closing argument at the Office of the Chief Justice in Midrand, Geoff Budlender― for Black Sash― argued that Dlamini’s approach to the inquiry was not befitting of an accountable minister
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Cape Town – The search for a new service provider to assist the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) with cash payments of social grants will only be in place by July, MPs have heard.
Sassa admitted in court papers filed on Monday that there was no feasible solution to assist around 2.8 million beneficiaries – roughly 26% of the scheme, who receive their grants in cash – before the April 1 deadline
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The South African Social Security Agency’s (Sassa) contingency plan to manage the cash component of the social grants system, were the Constitutional Court to deny an extension of the invalid CPS contract, was only work in progress, its acting CEO has said.
The Constitutional Court last week demanded that both Sassa and the South African Post Office (Sapo) clarify the contingency measures, put in place to deal with the payment of social grants.
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Come April 1, beneficiaries will receive their social grants, but the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) will still need the help of Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) to make it happen.
Sassa announced in a joint press conference with the South African Post Office (Sapo) on Thursday that the two had made strides to ensure that South Africa’s 17-million grant beneficiaries will be paid on time.
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The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) does not have alternative plans if the court refuses to extend the Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) contract by another six months, the Constitutional Court heard on Tuesday.
“There will be chaos,” Nazeer Cassim, the advocate for Sassa, argued before a full Bench.
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The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has come under fire for failing to adequately explain to the Constitutional Court why it waited until the last hour before requesting an extension of the invalid Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) contract.
Sassa is seeking to extend its contract with CPS, to distribute social grants, for a further six months.
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Pretoria – Civil organisation Corruption Watch turned to the Gauteng High Court, in Pretoria, for an order setting aside the decision of the South African Social Services Agency (Sassa) to pay R317 million to Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) regarding the registration and payment of grant beneficiaries.
Corruption Watch want CPS to pay back the money, together with interest, to the public coffers, pending a recalculation of what the proven amount due to CPS is.
Sassa earlier withdrew its opposition to the review application, while CPS is defending the matter.
Advocate Steven Budlender, acting for Corruption Watch, on Thursday argued that the decision taken by Sassa to vary a services contract with CPS for the distribution of social grant payments to the poorest of society, is at the heart of this case.
Corruption Watch is of the opinion that the variation, which resulted in Sassa paying CPS R317 million, was unlawful.
Budlender said the money was paid in circumstances where the parties had not even agreed a cost for the varied services and where Sassa had failed to establish that this amount was even owed to CPS.
“This is irrational,” he said.
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For the first time in 25 years, the South African government will hike up Value-Added Tax (VAT) in a bid to fund the gaping hole in the national budget.
With tax collection falling short by R48-billion, compounded by former president Jacob Zuma’s announcement of fee-free higher
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THE South African Post Office (Sapo) has assured Parliament it is ready to pay social grants for the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) from April 1. The portfolio committee on telecommunications and postal services welcomed the news. Briefing the portfolio committee on Sapo’s readiness to take over the payment of social grants, chief operating officer Lindiwe Kwele said the state-owned enterprise was on course to produce a total of 10.6 million Sassa branded bank cards by June 2018.
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Social development minister Bathabile Dlamini on Wednesday declined to tell an inquiry why she thought two of her most trusted officials apparently hid a looming crisis from her for months. Dlamini has persistently blamed two different officials, then social development director-general Zane Dangor and then CEO of the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) Thokozani Magwaza,..
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One of Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini’s closest aides has accused her of trying to thwart the Constitutional Court’s rulings on Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) in a revealing affidavit filed with the high court in Pretoria. Sipho Shezi was Dlamini’s full-time adviser from 2013 until she fired him last year. He had worked with Zane..
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The invalid Cash Payment Services (CPS) contract may be extended for a further six months if the South African Social Security Agency’s (Sassa) gets its way — yet the Constitutional Court ruled that the contract is to end on March 31. The extension is contained in the latest Sassa report to the Constitutional Court, filed less..
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Grant recipients finally have a deal that will ensure they are paid without their personal information being shared and the Post Office (Sapo) will score just over R2.2-billion a year, says the agreement between SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) and Sapo. The service agreement, which is the principal agreement between them, was signed in Pretoria..
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The Constitutional Court has asked the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) to provide reasons why an alternative payment scheme, recently suggested by its expert panel, is feasible. The alternative payments scheme was suggested two weeks ago by the expert panel set up by Sassa and Black Sash under the supervision of the court. In..
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