Parliamentary committees’ meetings compromised for ANC’s lekgotla

Two important meetings of parliamentary committees due to take place this week have been put on hold pending the outcome of the lekgotla of ANC leaders this weekend.

The social development committee, which was to be briefed on progress in the transfer of the social grant payment system to the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and the public enterprises meeting with Eskom executives to discuss municipal debt, had to be pushed aside to pave the way for the lekgotla.

It is likely Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini and Sassa CEO Thokozani Magwaza will be required to report on the lack of progress in the transfer of the payment of R140bn annually in social grants to 17-million beneficiaries from Net1 subsidiary Cash Paymaster Services to Sassa. The takeover takes effect from April 1 and there is deep concern that it will not be ready by then.

“The reality is that our grants system is facing an unprecedented crisis. This will only be averted with complete transparency and an honest update by the minister of social development Bathabile Dlamini on how she intends to abide by the Constitutional Court decision and ensure grants continue to be distributed on time in April,” DA spokeswoman on social development Bridget Masango said.

John Steenhuisen, the DA’s chief whip in the National Assembly, said: “Of even greater concern than an ANC party meeting subverting parliamentary work is the fact that the CEO of Sassa and Eskom leadership are set to attend the lekgotla.

“The blurring of the stateparty divide has become a feature of the ANC in recent years, best illustrated by the National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams, being summoned to Luthuli House in October 2016.

“However, inviting the managers of state entities to a party lekgotla, at the expense of Parliament, makes a mockery of the principle of separation of power,” he said.