Dlamini points finger at former Sassa CEO
AN ANGRY Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini has accused former South African Social Security (Sassa) chief executive Thokozani Magwaza of “causing problems” regarding the work of advisory groups called “workstreams”.
“Fighting over the job of workstreams started when Magwaza arrived (after his appointment). I was surprised because he had agreed to the workstreams,” Dlamini said when she testified at the commission of inquiry in Joburg into her role in the social grants debacle.
She said Magwaza, who was acting director-general of the department before he was appointed chief executive, found the workstreams already appointed and continuing with their work at Sassa.
The two had been at loggerheads over the work done by the workstreams as the social grants crisis became imminent. Magwaza then filed an affidavit in the Constitutional Court disputing Dlamini’s claims that sought to lay blame on the Sassa executives.
The former chief executive said the affidavit was his personal account to “set the record straight” that Dlamini knew as far back as July 2015 that Sassa would not be able to take over the grant payments.
He accused Dlamini of interfering in Sassa’s plans to take over from Cash Paymaster Services (CPS).
The contentious workstreams, appointed in 2015 to help Sassa transition to taking over grant payments, cost the taxpayer more than R40 million. The advisory groups reported to Dlamini, and were seen as an unnecessary parallel structure at Sassa.
Geoff Budlender, acting for the Black Sash, earlier accused Dlamini of dodging his questions and being “evasive and unresponsive”.
Commission chairperson retired judge Bernard Ngoepe asked Dlamini to respond appropriately. “Why does Mr Budlender have to ask one question three times? I assume there is a simple answer.”
The inquiry into Dlamini’s role in the grants debacle started on Monday. The crisis saw rights group Black Sash taking the department to the Constitutional Court.
Last March, the Concourt ordered that CPS continue to pay grants for a further 12 months after Sassa was unable and take over grant payments.