SASSA non-payment: DA to lodge urgent complaint with Human Rights Commission

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is expected to lodge a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) today, Tuesday, 19 September after SASSA beneficiaries remain unpaid by the Postbank.

DA TO REPORT MINISTER LINDIWE ZULU OVER SASSA MATTER

“Today, Tuesday 19 September 2023, the DA will lodge an urgent complaint at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against the Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, the Department of Social Development as well as the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and Postbank for their part in the ongoing social grant payment failures,” the party confirmed in a statement.

“Not only is the Minister continuing to fail millions of vulnerable grant beneficiaries each month, but her Department has also returned more than R15 billion to the National Treasury in unpaid social relief of distress (SRD) grants. This is while the DA is inundated every month by SRD grant beneficiaries struggling to gain access to their funds,” the party complained.

THE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION OF THIS PROBLEM

The DA added that these ongoing failures have resulted in an alarming human rights violation, with mothers being compelled to abandon their babies due to their inability to feed them, creating a tragic and heart-breaking situation.

ALSO READ: DA flooded by complaints of Postbank’s technical glitches affecting SASSA beneficiaries

Today, the DA will take legal action with the DA Shadow Minister of Social Development, Bridget Masango MP, laying an urgent complaint at the SAHRC offices in Johannesburg. She will be accompanied by the DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Social Development, Refiloe Nt’sekhe MPL and Bronwynn Engelbrecht MPL.

ALSO READ: SASSA beneficiaries PAID with empty promises

WHAT WENT WRONG AT THE POSTBANK

“This time, Postbank was unable to pay hundreds of thousands of social grant recipients because of its failure to ensure usage of the software that allows the Bank to connect to BankServ Africa servers in order to make payments.”

DA

ALSO READ: The REAL reason behind the SASSA grant payment DEBACLE

According to Alexandra Abrahams MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Social Development, the Postbank failed to pay the service provider due to ongoing investigations at the bank and National Treasury refused to approve an agreement that does not comply with public procurement protocols. “ As a last resort, the Bank approached the Courts for permission to pay the service provider… Postbank should have had contingencies in place to ensure payment,” she explained.

This is a developing story.

ALSO READ: Despite Postbank assurance, SASSA beneficiaries still don’t have money

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY SISO NAILE