Scopa accuses Sassa of stalling
THE standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) has warned that the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) was trying to bring Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) through the back door as the new service provider.
Members of Scopa told Sassa officials yesterday they were surprised they did not know what the South African Post Office (Sapo) would deliver, which would then leave the door open for CPS to get the tender after an open-tender process.
The contract is for the distribution of social grants to 17 million beneficiaries.
They said they were surprised Sassa did not know the scope and work of Sapo.
Acting Sassa chief executive officer Pearl Bhengu and her team came under fire from Scopa when the committee found out it was not clear what Sapo would deliver.
Scopa chairperson Themba Godi said Sassa was ducking and diving, and did not want to appoint Sapo to distribute social grants next year.
He said the plan presented by Bhengu and her team left a lot to be desired and was full of holes.
Godi said Sassa did not show it was embracing Sapo in the process.
“In your hybrid model you say in case Sapo does not make it, I did not get a sense you were enthusiastically embracing Sapo.
“Our worry is that Sassa may have decided there are elements they want to outsource.”
Ntombovuyo Mente of the EFF and Mkhuleko Hlengwa of the IFP also accused Sassa of using delaying tactics to ensure CPS is given the contract.
They were backed by Saki Kekana of the ANC, who said an attempt is being made to give the contract to CPS.
“Let’s use their presentation as a roadmap to migrate from CPS.
“We will be using this as a Bible to measure your compliance with the Constitutional Court decision,” said Kekana.
“On the issue of Sapo, I have been looking at your body language.
“When you talk about Sapo there is no commitment.
“You say you don’t know which part Sapo will deliver. You have had meetings with Sapo, but you don’t know what they will deliver. The suspicion from the chairperson is correct.”
Hlengwa called on Parliament and other state entities to ensure that CPS was not brought back.
Mente said they were concerned that Sassa would hand over the new social grants contract to CPS.
She said she suspected that the way Sassa was conducting its business it would ensure there was no other company available and give the tender to CPS next year.
“When you take that long (to finalise the process) National Treasury will subject the deviation to financial rules and we will be back to square one. This CPS must not come back.”