Sassa halts biometric enrolment

THE Social Development Department agreed to suspend the biometric system for South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) recipients after the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union members embarked on a strike because of it.

Zola Saphetha, deputy general secretary of Nehawu, said union leaders would go back to their members following talks between the union and Social Development Minister Susan Shabangu.

Saphetha said he was not yet sure if the strike would continue or be suspended after consultation with their members. This comes after Nehawu members closed Sassa offices across the country.

Before the agreements, Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba said the strike would run indefinitely until all demands were met by the Sassa management.

Employees demanded that biometric enrolment of beneficiaries be suspended; that consultation on biometric enrolment of beneficiaries be prioritised; job evaluation in the grants administration be undertaken; and that the option of biometric enrolment be included in the KPAs of the specific employees to perform this function – subject to the job evaluation results.

Post Office spokesperson Martie Gilchrist assured social grant beneficiaries that the strike would not impact on the payment of October social grants.

Gilchrist said the Post Office would continue to pay Sassa social grants recipients according to schedule despite the reports of some Sassa employees going on strike.