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The Portfolio Committee on Social Development welcomes the ruling made by the Constitutional Court today on the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) contract.

The Committee appreciates the manner in which the Constitutional Court handled this matter and that grant recipients should not be at a disadvantage because of problems at Sassa. The Committee is happy that grant recipients will get their money on 1 April 2017 and will ensure that the Department of Social Development and Sassa are monitored and comply with the orders of the Constitutional Court.

A special Committee meeting will be scheduled as soon as possible so that the Department and Sassa can present their plans and a programme of action with regards to the orders handed down by the Constitutional Court.

Furthermore, the Committee apologises for all the suffering that the people of South Africa might have experienced due to this debacle. All outstanding matters, which are at various levels of government according to the roles of those structures, will continue.

It is for this reason that the Committee will undertake an oversight visit to the Free State province from 27 until 31 March 2017 to continue monitoring Sassa and social development programmes in that province to ensure compliance with the Public Finance Management Act, principles of corporate governance and public participation.

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Ms Zoleka Capa