ANC pleased with IMC intervention on SASSA and SAPO

21 November 2017

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip welcomes progress made by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) in resolving the impasse between the South Africa Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the South African Post Office (SAPO) on the payments of social grants.

The IMC as led by comrade Minister Jeff Radebe along with SASSA, SAPO, National Treasury and the Department of Social Development (DSD) appeared before parliament today to report on progress in reaching an agreement between the two entities on the distribution of social grant payments.

We welcome the announcement of an Implementation Protocol reached by the respective parties granting SAPO the rights to provide the core functions in the roll out of social grant payments by 1 April 2018. We are also pleased with government’s commitment to roll out a proper communication strategy to allay public anxiety and confusion.

We look forward to the finalisation of the final agreement to be signed on 24 November 2017 and the submission of a detailed project plan by 6 December 2017 as per the commitment of the IMC. Today’s developments bring us one step closer to ensuring that this matter is brought to finality and that government adheres to deadlines set by the Constitutional Court on the payments of social grants.

As Parliament we will continue to monitor progress on this matter. Our priority as the ANC is to ensure that all beneficiaries of social grants continue to receive their social grant payments uninterrupted from 1 April 2018.

Issued by Nonceba Mhlauli, Spokesperson, the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, 21 November 2017