Sassa plans for handover

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is entering its second decade of steadfast service to the people of SA.

It was established in response to the constitutional injunction emphasising through section 27 that social security is a basic right and that those unable to support themselves and their dependants should be assisted.

Sassa opened its doors of service delivery on April 1 2006 to administer and pay social grants. To date it has serviced more than 17-million beneficiaries of social grants, with children making up more than 12-million.

Recent challenges befell the organisation in relation to the contract to pay social grants. Work is under way to resolve undesirable challenges that have the potential to impede progress in the fight against poverty.

The Constitutional Court has since issued directives on this matter and continues to deal with other related matters. The court processes are expected to provide further direction on how best to unravel issues of dispute.

The agency is concentrating on ensuring that as March 2018 approaches, when the contract with Cash Paymaster Services ends, millions of beneficiaries of social grants continue to receive their benefits unimpeded and efficiently. We are incessantly informed both in conduct and action by the philosophy that social protection is essential to shield the young, the old and adults of working age who are unable to work because of structural unemployment, illness or disability.

Paseka Letsatsi

Sassa head of communications