SOCIAL GRANTS PAYMENT DISPUTE RESOLVED

The South African Social Security Agency has concluded negotiations and agreed on 12 month contract extensions with the three service providers contracted to pay social grants - CPS, All Pay and Empilweni.

"This means that social grants payments will not be disrupted at. April payments will be paid without interruptions. We are pleased that SASSA, Social Development and the service providers were able to find common ground, so as not to disadvantage beneficiaries, most of whom depend solely on social grants to put food on the table. They cannot afford not to get paid even for one day. We were not going to rest until a solution was found'', said Social Development Minister, Dr Zola Skweyiya.

Dr Skweyiya had assigned the Director General of Social Development, Vusi Madonsela and the CEO of SASSA, Fezile Makiwane to prioritise the matter and negotiate with the service providers to find an urgent solution.

Statement issued by the Department of Social Development, March 25 2009

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