DA to inspect Roodepoort Sassa office for not processing grant applications

DA shadow minister of social development, Bridget Masango, will accompany DA Team One SA spokesperson on basic services, Makashule Gana, as the DA sets off to inspect the Roodepoort office of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) tomorrow morning.

This is due to reports that Sassa’s Roodepoort office cannot process new applications for social grants because of problems with its biometric systems and it reportedly turned away qualifying beneficiaries.

“Masango and Gana will engage with grant recipients on their challenges regarding this application process. The DA is concerned that the nationwide backlog in the capturing of data could reach crisis levels by the end of this month. This is a direct consequence of Bathabile Dlamini’s legacy at the Department of Social Development,” said the party in a statement.

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Sassa has been beset with problems for years and various government departments often report issues with their biometric systems.

In mid September, the biometric systems of an unidentified Home Affairs office were down for 7 days, reports Travel News Weekly. Despite various attempts to contact the Department of Home Affairs, they refused to comment on the matter.

A Citizen report published in June revealed that hundreds of doctors were left unable to register and verify their details on the department of health’s application portal for doctors hoping to apply for community service positions next year.

This inability to register and access the available positions meant that they could be rendered unemployed come January, and would therefore only be able to apply for placement again in the June intake of community service doctors. Doctors are unable to go into private practice or specialise in South Africa without completing this community service.

The DA hopes Sassa will explain its failure to assist beneficiaries and give them their grants, but given the aforementioned situations, they may not get their answer.

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