DA calls on AG to investigate SASSA food tender bungle
9 July 2020
The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on the Auditor-General of South Africa (AG), to launch an urgent investigation into reports of bureaucratic red tape regarding a renewal of tenders for service providers for the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to distribute aid in the form of food parcels or vouchers to people in distress, which has left people without vital aid for more than five months.
AmaBhungane reported that due to SASSA cancelling a three-year tender, people in six provinces, the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu Natal and Free State, were left without relief aid between November 2019 and March 2020, and the holders of the previous tenders were unable to distribute the food parcels in their warehouses.
This seems to be gross misconduct on SASSA’s part. While the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown has brought to light the severe ineptitude at the Agency, it is now clear that this is not a new problem.
Instead of exploring every avenue in order to find feasible solutions to help poor and vulnerable people in South Africa, SASSA is continuously the block in the road. Instead of planning and following due process to ensure that aid continues uninterrupted and unencumbered, SASSA bungled the tender process to renew contracts to distribute vital aid to vulnerable people.
SASSA has left people in the lurch since last year November and has perpetuated and increased their suffering. These vulnerable South Africans depend on SASSA for their very lives. Without the aid, they cannot feed themselves or their families and might likely starve.
SASSA needs to be held accountable for its actions. Its conception might have been with pure intentions, but in its execution the agency has done immeasurable harm.
The Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, should also be ultimately held accountable for the shambles SASSA finds itself in. The Minister’s track record regarding caring for the poor and vulnerable in South Africa is less than stellar. Just recently she had to be forced through court action to allow NGOs to provide aid during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Issued by Bridget Masango, DA Shadow Minister of Social Development, 9 July 2020
