March ,06 2017.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines:
Minister says millions of South Africans will be paid benefits on April 1
Zuma congratulates Ghana on its 60th independence anniversary
And, Minister Sisulu distances herself from ANC leadership claims

The government will continue paying millions of South Africa's most vulnerable people social security payments on April 1, despite not signing a new deal with an existing service-provider, the minister of social development said yesterday.

Sassa is scrambling to ensure that as many as 17-million people continue to receive their money, despite concerns that retaining the existing service provider is both unlawful and costly.

Dlamini said the South African Post Office's more than 2 600 outlets will be used as one of the payment services for social security in the transition and future phases.

In an attempt to resolve the looming crisis, President Jacob Zuma held talks yesterday with Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan and Dlamini to ensure that social security payments are made from April 1.

President Jacob Zuma has congratulated Ghana on  its 60th independence anniversary on Monday, the presidency said.

Zuma spoke to Ghanaian President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo by telephone yesterday and congratulated Akufo-Addo on the “milestone occasion.”

Zuma had stated that South Africa and Ghana had enjoyed close historical ties of solidarity dating back to the period of the country’s struggles for freedom and independence. As the pioneer of the decolonisation process on the African continent, Ghana served as an inspiration for South Africa.

The Minister of Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu, who is also an ANC MP, has distanced herself from claims on social media that she is a candidate for the ruling party’s deputy president position.

The Department of Human Settlements said that Sisulu has noted with concern posters and flyers circulating on the social media platforms suggesting that she is a candidate to be a deputy president of the ANC.

“The minister would like to put it on record again that she is not a candidate for any slate. She has not expressed any interest in the leadership of the ANC, either president or deputy president. The minister understands and respects the ANC processes.”

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That’s a roundup of news making headlines today