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Following yesterday’s shambolic joint meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development and SCOPA, where Minister Bathabile Dlamini yet again failed to show up, members resolved to formally call on the Minister to appear before Parliament.

However, in light of Dodging Dlamini’s history of chronically bunking accountability whenever she is formally invited to Parliament, merely issuing an invitation will not suffice.

The DA will, therefore, write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Rosemary Capa, to request that she formally summon Minister Dlamini to come and account.

If Dodging Dlamini again fails to show up, she could face serious consequences for ignoring a summons, including possible arrest.

SASSA’s failure to get the ball rolling on finding a new service provider to pay out social grants is a disaster ushering in a crisis.

At yesterday’s shambolic joint meeting SASSA scrambled to answer questions which can only lead us to believe that SASSA is either uncertain or dishonest about finding a credible alternative to CPS.

The meeting also brought into question the South African Post Office’s (SAPO) readiness to take over paying out social grants.

There are too many unanswered questions and nobody is providing clarity and certainty.

The Minister’s failure to show up to a meeting at this critical time is nothing more than a delaying tactic to once again ensure that the contract with CPS continues.

The Panel of Experts appointed by the Constitutional Court to oversee this entire process, has warned that SASSA and the Minister’s lack of cooperation and blatant delaying tactics will see a repeat of the fait accompli we witnessed earlier this year.

Minister Dlamini is playing Russian roulette with the lives of millions of vulnerable South Africans.

She is busy campaigning in KwaZulu-Natal, instead of carrying out her mandate of serving the people and she cannot be allowed to escape accountability again.

Issued by DA