DA optimistic over social grants deal
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it is positive that deliberations with the South Africa Social Security Agency (SASSA) and South African Post Office (SAPO) will succeed.
SASSA is meeting with SAPO in a bid to flush out a deal for Post Bank to take over the payment of social grants to millions of South Africans. The parties have till 18:00 on Wednesday to come up with a resolution.
The two entities have been attempting to sign an inter-government agreement but had reached a deadlock.
The Democratic Alliance's shadow minister of social development, Bridget Masango, says opposition is optimistic that the parties will be able to forge a way forward.
Members of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) requested Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini and SAPO CEO Mark Barnes to set up terms for the takeover of the payment of social grants from Cash Paymaster Services (CPS).
"We cannot afford a deadlock because so many people will be affected by a negative outcome out of this process. We are optimistic about the outcome of the meeting," says Masango.
However, Masango says officials and Dlamini are misrepresenting SAPO's capability.
Yesterday Barnes rebutted claims that the state-owned enterprise is not ready to take over the payment of social grants, as suggested by Dlamini.
Masango says opposition hold the view that this points to SASSA's intention to continue the illegal contract with CPS.
"We held and still continue to hold a very strong view that it will lead to CPS ending up continuing with the illegal contract they have. The difference in presentation from what SASSA said to that of the CEO of SAPO was too great. It was like chalk and cheese. It's either someone doesn't understand what is going on or we are being lied to."