JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 10: Minister of Women in the Presidency Susan Shabangu speaks during 25th African Union Summit on June 10, 2015 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. ‘Make it Happen Through the Financial Inclusion of Women in the Agribusiness Sector’ formed as part of the topics which were discusssed at the AU 2nd High Level Panel (HLP) on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. (Photo by Gallo Images / The Times / Thulani Mbele)..
Shabangu: Sassa unable to shake off sticky CPS
Social Development Minister, Susan Shabangu, says Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) is purposefully ‘misleading and cheating’ Sassa beneficiaries.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 10: Minister of Women in the Presidency Susan Shabangu speaks during 25th African Union Summit on June 10, 2015 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. ‘Make it Happen Through the Financial Inclusion of Women in the Agribusiness Sector’ formed as part of the topics which were discusssed at the AU 2nd High Level Panel (HLP) on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. (Photo by Gallo Images / The Times / Thulani Mbele)..
It was never going to be an easy process, altering social grant administrative systems amid wage disputes and general confusion. Social Development Minister, Susan Shabangu, has apologised, feigned miscalculations, and finally blamed Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) for cheating Sassa.
Following a contrived Constitutional Court skirmish, the unholy union between CPS and the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is slowly coming to an end. While the waning embers of inept management continue to flicker, Shabangu claims CPS has sabotaged Sassa’s new dawn.
The South African Post Office (Sapo) successfully tendered to replace CPS as social payment administrators. The fresh wind of optimism soon turned to apprehension from both social workers and beneficiaries alike.
Read: SASSA systems fail amid striking employees and Post Office admin
Shabangu blames the initial failure on many things. In her defence, she has apologised to grant beneficiaries for the ‘systems failure’ which crippled service delivery. The failure, she says, is a result of poor preparation, miscommunication and miscalculations on behalf of management structures.
Sapo, on the other hand, has had their hands full putting out proverbial fires. Critical system failures, striking employees and a completely revised Sassa card payment scheme have left the post office feeling overwhelmed.
‘CPS is cheating and dishonest’ – Susan Shabangu
In her most recent defence of the revised payment scheme, the minister of Social Development has harsh words for old pals, CPS. She has accused the company of purposefully sabotaging the relationship between Sassa and Sapo.
Speaking to Sowetan Live, Shabangu had this to say of CPS:
“They’re [CPS] trying to extend their scope in order not to go away. We are aware that we are going to find resistance, it’s a battle we will have to confront, with CPS trying to claw back.”
This ‘claw back’ Shabangu is referring to has manifested during the ‘hand-over’ phase of the administrative transition. CPS is accused of drawing out the process, confusing issues surrounding new card payment structures.
CPS is accused of flogging its Easy Pay Everywhere (EPE)’s cards instead of new Sassa/SA Post Office cards. These cards can be used at ATM’s as opposed to specific pay points, which make it a more attractive option for recipients.
2.3 million beneficiaries have subscribed to the EPE cards.
Shabangu is livid at the apparent misrepresentation and misinformation being fed to recipients by CPS, saying:
“They’re cheating by making them get the EPE cards, trying to push us back, which we will not allow.”
The contract with CPS expires in September, by which time Shabangu, Sassa and Sapo hope to have completely released themselves from the former company’s administrative monopoly. In the meantime, CPS says they are operating according to the protocol in this transition phase.
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