Cabinet: No need to panic over grant distribution
Communications Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane says there is no need for panic over the payment of social grants.
Kubayi-Ngubane was briefing the media on Wednesday's cabinet meeting.
The South Africa Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the South African Post Office (Sapo) have failed to reach an agreement on the distribution of social grants.
The Department of Social Development is adamant that Sapo does not have the capability to deal with all the aspects of grant distribution.
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The standing committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) has now instructed National Treasury to finalise the review of SAPO's capabilities in implementing and managing the national payment system of social grants by next week.
Kubayi-Ngubane says there is no need for panic.
"The president established an inter-ministerial committee (IMC) on this. The IMC is still working and once they are done they will provide a report. Where we are sitting we don't think we should start raising alarms," she said.
Scopa has in the meantime instructed SASSA not to put the grant distribution out to tender.
"This is to give an opportunity for National Treasury to conduct the review and come up with measures that would iron out the issues that are problematic," said Scopa in a statement.
The IMC is also expected to brief Scopa and the Portfolio Committee on Social Development on the way forward on Wednesday.