The South African Security Agency (Sassa) has only two months left to prepare itself to take over the payment of social grants with much work still outstanding. Progress with the preparations — or the lack of it — was expected to emerge on Wednesday during a briefing by the agency and the Department of Social Development to the portfolio committee on social development. From the presentation, it appeared that the new system would only be ready well after April 1 and extending even into 2018 with final conclusion only anticipated in 2019-2020. Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini was not present at the meeting because she was attending a Cabinet lekgotla. The DA’s deputy spokesperson on social development, Lindy Wilson, said this was unacceptable and a "damned disgrace" in view of what was a "national crisis". The minister was also not able to attend last week’s meeting — which had to be postponed — on the grounds that she was attending a lekgotla of the ANC although there w...
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