Dlamini covering up impending social grant distribution crisis

17 November 2016

The Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, refuses to provide concrete answers on her department’s readiness to take over the distribution of social grants to 17 million South Africans come 1 April next year.

In reply to a DA parliamentary question about the plans to ensure a smooth and effective transition, Minister Dlamini failed to once again take South Africa into her confidence and ensure transparency around what could be a monumental crisis for millions of poor South Africans next year.

This latest unsatisfactory response further reinforces the perception, and the DA’s suspicion, that they cannot answer these questions because the department is not ready to take over the function of distributing social grants to the 17 million poor and vulnerable that are directly reliant on them.

This, despite repeated assurances from the department that they are ready to take over this massive task.

We therefore reiterate our call for Minister Dlamini to table a detailed project plan including timelines and costs to satisfy Parliament that she will meet the April 2017 deadline.

It seems that Minister Dlamini has yet to wake up to the reality that 17 million of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable could be in crisis should her department fail in this mammoth task.

Minister Dlamini and the acting CEO of SASSA, Raphaahle Ramokgopa, must appear before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Social Development as a matter of great urgency to explain in detail what the real state of play is and to tell us what contingency plans are in place to avoid a national social crisis.

The DA will continue calling for Minister Dlamini to account. We will not tire in ensuring that the interests of poor South Africans are defended at all times.

Issued by Bridget Masango, DA Shadow Minister of Social Development, 17 November 2016