Cadre deployment remains rife at SASSA
10 March 2024
Note to editors: Please find attached soundbite by Bridget Masango MP.
Following a recent Cabinet meeting, we learned that the contract of Busisiwe Memela-Khambule as Chief Executive of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has been extended. This is despite Memela-Khambule being implicated in a damning Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report in 2021, involving corruption in a R45 million tender to distribute 33 000 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) food parcels in the Eastern Cape during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Memela-Khambule, who earns a R3 million salary, is accused of violating the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) by manipulating the tender for preferred bidders. She is accused of explicitly going against National Treasury procurement processes to ensure that overpriced and unqualified service providers were contracted, which saw SASSA pay more than necessary to purchase and distribute parcels, with less parcels distributed to beneficiaries. Shockingly, the SIU found that “SASSA had no approved process of administering food parcels to beneficiaries and [distribution] depended on lists submitted by ward councillors”. In addition to the tender itself being corrupt, the involvement of ward councillors saw nonqualifying beneficiaries receive parcels, while some qualified beneficiaries received parcels late or received incomplete or substandard parcels.
Importantly, the SIU recommended disciplinary action against Memela-Khambule as a central mastermind, in addition to instituting court proceedings to invalidate the contract. However, despite these damning findings, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government proceeded to renew her contract. While President Ramaphosa touts his government’s efforts against corruption, in the end, it’s nothing but a smokescreen. The President will allow the corrupt to run SASSA, as long as their title begins with “Cde”. The ANC continues to stand by cadre deployment, even following the DA’s recent exposé. As outlined in the Zondo Commission, cadre deployment is a key ingredient to corruption. The ANC always thinks of itself foremost and never innocent South Africans.