Siyabonga Sesant
Political parties are preparing to pile the pressure on the Department of Social Development and the Postbank in the wake of the social grants debacle.
Build One South Africa said on Monday that it called on the Financial and Fiscal Commission to urgently probe the recent decision by the Department of Social Development to return R15 billion in social grant funding to the National Treasury.
BOSAs acting spokesperson, Roger Solomons, said this was while six million “vulnerable people” were without access to the Social Relief of Distress Grant.
He said the FFC was constitutionally mandated to "make recommendations and to provide advice to organs of state in the national, provincial, and local spheres of government".
“We ask the Commission to consider this decision to return the R15 billion in funds, and give a recommendation as to whether it is a prudent, legal, and fair decision by the Department of Social Development,” said Solomons.
BOSA wants Treasury to reverse the funds to “avoid this ongoing catastrophe”.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance will be laying a complaint with the SA Human Rights Commission on Tuesday.
DA MP, Bridget Masango, also highlighted reports noting that the Department had returned unspent grant money to the National Treasury.
She said they were taking the route of the SAHRC because SASSA beneficiaries have had the "longest-ever struggle" with grants not being paid on time or sometimes not being paid at all.
Masango said the recent debacle with the Postbank systems glitch, leading to many beneficiaries not being paid was a clear violation of their human rights.
