Lobby group Right2Know (R2K) has joined the calls for Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini to face the axe.

"Dlamini has gambled with the livelihoods of 17-million people. Her conduct has shown that she cannot be trusted with this responsibility. She must resign or be fired as Minister of Social Development," R2K said.

The lobby group said Dlamini had flouted her responsibilities to the poorest and most vulnerable, and to the country to ensure trust, governance and adherence to the law.

This was in relation to the ongoing debacle over the grant payment system.

The group expressed concern at the lack of information about the new contract being negotiated with Cash Paymaster Services (CPS).

"We are concerned that the minister is continuing to create a crisis so she can sign yet another deal with CPS, giving them millions of rand in profit that will be taken out of the country."

Serious concern

The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution has expressed concern at the "crisis" within the social services department.

"The crisis with the Department of Social Development and the South Africa Social Security Agency (Sassa) is emerging as a painful case study in how institutional disarray and infringements in due process and failures to abide by the rule of law can threaten the livelihoods of the poorest and most vulnerable members of society," it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Progressive Professionals Forum (PPF) has thrown its weight behind Dlamini, and said it would ensure that the department's promise that all beneficiaries would receive their monies as intended would be met.

Any signs of bad planning or under-performance in executing the tasks of providing the grants would be of serious concern to PPF, it said on Monday.

"Understandably, it becomes a huge concern to the country as a whole when a situation arises where payment of such critical services is reported not to be guaranteed and or some kind of doubt, perceived or real, arises rightly or wrongly that such service maybe disrupted.

"So PPF is rather concerned and believes that the matter could have been handled and communicated differently so as to avoid inducing panic among the 17 million recipients whose dignity must be safe guarded."

The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Monday called for Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to ensure that Dlamini attended a meeting in Parliament on Tuesday, where the standing committee on public accounts would discuss the crisis.

"Since this crisis emerged and despite the DA's efforts, Dlamini has evaded every opportunity for accountability. If rumours are to go by, it seems likely that she may do so again tomorrow [on Tuesday]," the DA's Bridget Masango said.