Labour dispute about taking fingerprints causes problems with new SASSA/SAPO (South African Post Office) payment system

4 September 2018

A labour dispute by unions acting on behalf of SASSA officials is causing delays with the processing of new applications for social grants after the conversion from the Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) system to the SASSA and SAPO (South African Post Office) system.

From the answer that the Minister of Social Development, Susan Shabangu, provided in response to written parliamentary questions by the FF Plus, it can be gleaned that there are "delays" with the registration and processing of new applications, particularly in Gauteng. (Questions and answers are attached herewith).

According to Minister Shabangu, the delays are caused by a labour dispute that comes down to SASSA officials refusing to take new applicants' fingerprints seeing as these officials claim that it is not part of their job to do so.

This dispute does not take into account that people in need will most probably be without any income. This is typical of the labour situation, particularly in the South African public sector, where unions are often a drawback for economic and social progress.

In this case, it is truly lamentable that discipline and work ethics have been eroded to such an extent that the needy and elderly have to suffer.

Irrespective of the very serious problem of unemployment in South Africa, this situation only serves to highlight the fact that unions have absolutely no regard for the unemployed as well as our country's economy. The general attitude of entitlement that unions are thus cultivating among their members cannot be tolerated.

Issued by Corné Mulder, FF Plus chief whip and parliamentary spokesperson: Social Development, 4 September 2018