The Inkatha Freedom Party said it wanted to introduce a private members bill in Parliament with a view to establishing a board of control over the SA Social Security Agency.
In a statement on Friday, IFP MP, Liezl van der Merwe, said the latest developments at SASSA pertaining to the forced exit of its former CEO and the appointment of a close confidant of the Minister of Social Development, have highlighted the need for urgent steps to be taken to ensure greater accountability and improved corporate governance at the entity.
“SASSA controls billions in taxpayers' money and looks after the poor and most vulnerable in our society,” she said.
“Against this background, the IFP convened a meeting with the parliamentary law advisers on Monday 24 July 2017, with the view of introducing a Private Member's Bill in the National Assembly, seeking to amend the SASSA Act to allow for the establishment of a board to control the affairs of SASSA,” said Van der Merwe.
“The proposed independent board would be tasked with the appointment of executives and oversight of the entity's fiduciary responsibilities,” she said.
Van Der Merwe said the Private Members Bill will be specific in terms of who should serve on such a board, namely academics, economists and members of civil society, and they would be remunerated “through a capped stipend, which will limit the opportunity for some to abuse such a board for cadre deployment.”
“Such a board will ensure that the Minister is no longer able to hire and fire at her sole discretion without considering what is in the best interests of the entity and, by extension, the public at large,” said Van Der Merwe.
She said that the proposed Bill wouldl take approximately six to eight weeks to finalise.
“In the interim, the IFP will lobby civil society, political parties and other stakeholders to support the amendment Bill, which is in the best interests of good governance and the fight against corruption at SASSA and our country at large,” Van Der Merwe said.
