Government to rectify social grant payment glitches, says Mashatile

Deputy president Paul Mashatile says the government regrets the glitches in the payment of social grants that affected several grant recipients recently.

“We fully understand the distress and suffering that resulted from this system glitch, which left recipients, especially older people, unable to access their grants with their SA Social Security Agency [Sassa] Postbank cards,” he said. “The government remains fully committed to timely and seamless payment of social grants to all beneficiaries.”

Mashatile said the matter was receiving necessary attention and President Cyril Ramaphosa was receiving regular progress reports from the ministers of communications and digital technologies, and social development.

Mashatile said as part of measures to prevent a recurrence, a task team comprising the departments, Sassa, the Post Office and Postbank has been set up to monitor and track the payment system in real time and to strengthen Postbank’s technical infrastructure.

Additional reinforcement measures will include the engagement of experts in the banking field for a comprehensive review of the grant payment system and continuous rectification of the system vulnerabilities, he said. Included in the review of the payment system is ensuring the consistency of monthly payments, ensuring card replacement and the system itself.

“The president asked them to look at the overall overhauling of the system.”

He said they would also bring in technical people from the big commercial banks to help Postbank with its banking system and ensure it works.

Mashatile defended the use of Postbank, saying it was chosen because of its wide reach.

ANC MP Nokuzola Ndongeni had asked Mashatile whether the government had considered any measures to review and strengthen the capacity of the state to deliver social grants without future disruptions.