Government has assured the nation that the social security agency (Sassa) will be able to meet the Constitutional Court deadline to set-up a partnership with the Post Office for the payment of social grants by next year.
This follows chairperson of the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Themba Godi’s statement.
He says Sassa officials have failed to provide details on whether the Post Office will be able to take over from the Cash Paymaster Services to disburse social grants.
Last week, some MPs accused Sassa officials of deliberately delaying the process to ensure that CPS continues to pay social grants.
Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe maintained that the inter-ministerial committee would ensure that the Social Development Department complies with the court’s directive to find a new distributor of social grants.
He was speaking in Garankuwa, north of Pretoria as the country marked International Day of Older Persons.
“As government, we are committed to ensuring that the decision of the Constitutional Court and the timelines laid must be met. That’s why with this issue of the social grants, we are living no stone unturned in ensuring that come the deadline – we will be able to ensure that there is in-house distribution of social grants as the decision of the Constitutional Court has mandated us to do.”
Radebe also called for the protection of the elderly from the dangers of socio-economic ills. Speaking after engaging with senior citizens, Radebe urged communities especially the youth to show compassion and care towards the elderly.
[Source: SABC]
