CAPE TOWN – Western Cape Social Development MEC Sharna Fernandez has accused her national counterpart Lindiwe Zulu of misleading the public about the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa)’s failure to pay social grants on time.
The national minister was widely criticised by members of the Western Cape provincial legislature on Thursday.
Thousands of social grant beneficiaries experienced problems with their payouts this month.
Zulu blamed this on technical glitches at Postbank.
READ: Sassa reviewing its contract with Postbank
However, Fernandez said Zulu must tell South Africans the truth.
“What the national minister’s failed to tell the nation was that Postbank was served notice on the 31st July that the switching service provider would not deliver services due to non-payment to the tune of R84 million. Postbank then went to court to ensure that services were provided. However, the switching company said to them we’re not prepared to provide the service’.”
READ: DA calls on Minister Lindiwe Zulu to take responsibility for Sassa
On Wednesday, the SA Human Rights Commission met with Sassa to urge the organisation to avoid a repeat of this crisis in the next payment cycle.
Last week, the Democratic Alliance lodged a complaint with the commission accusing Zulu, her department, Sassa and Postbank of violating the rights of South Africans.