Mohamed Ameen Dabhelia – 2017/03/06
South African social grant beneficiaries are being left in limbo as the battle between the countries Treasury, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the Constitutional Court and Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) continues.
In a heated media briefing yesterday, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini outlined SASSA’s plan, which, according to her, will ensure each and every benefactor gets paid come April 1st.
According to a statement released by the ministry, this is the agency’s plan:
– Phase 1: Planning for the transition including the phase-out of the current service provider, this must be done between the 2015/16 and 2016/17 financial years.
– Phase 2: The transition from the period April 2017 to March 2019
– Phase 3: Full roll out of the payment plan from April 2019 onwards
But, where’s the guarantee?
Radio Islam spoke to Dlamini’s spokersperson Lumka Oliphant, who has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons in recent times.
Oliphant refused to answer questions in English when asked about how her department plans to pay grant beneficiaries next month in an interview with Talk Radio 702’s Xolani Gwala, when she insisted on responding to questions in isiZulu.
Gwala then immediately cut the interview.
However, during her interview on Radio Islam, Oliphant said that there are six companies in consideration before SASSA will be considered as the payment master.
(ENGLISH) Radio Islam speaks to #BathabileDlamini‘s spokesperson Lumka Oliphant. #SASSA #Dlamini https://t.co/YgpXcYvnUq pic.twitter.com/Zryc2TmP7l
— Radio Islam (@radioislam) March 6, 2017
“One of the best options is CPS, but treasury, the ministry and SASSA has six other options.”
Oliphant was asked by when a decision will be made on who becomes the next payment distributor, her response, “we will let South Africa know”.
So, as 17 million people wait… we are yet to see a concrete deal being struck by SASSA, something which could spell disaster come April 1st.
(Edited by Hesley Harmse)
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