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The United Democratic Movement (UDM) notes the Constitutional Court’s instruction that the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) are under obligation to continue to pay social grants on 1 April until another entity is able to do so.

The ANC government has more-or-less blackmailed the Constitutional Court, for if it should have happened that social grants were not paid on time, Government could conveniently shift the blame for the non-payment to the Constitutional Court.

It is however worrying that our Country is effectively being run via the court room, because the Zuma Administration time and again fails to perform its duties.

It is clear that President Zuma, and his cohorts, are holding onto their positions of power for one reason only: to further loot the Country’s resources at the expense of the taxpayer. Forget, for a moment, all the other examples of this phenomenon and be conscious of the fact that the Sassa/CPS-debacle is especially reprehensible, because it happened at the expense of the most vulnerable in our society. If not for the Constitutional Court’s intervention, where would we be?

This situation is an embarrassment for South Africa and the Zuma Administration (and Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini in particular in this instance) has again brought the country into disrepute. Their behaviour shows a lack of respect for the court. There is no accountability and worse, no consequences for those in power when they so spectacularly fail.

The message to those who voted for the African National Congress (ANC) is clear. President Zuma, his Executive and the ANC have no respect for South Africans - nor do they have sympathy or show remorse. The ANC has clearly lost the plot and this arrogance can only be addressed in one way, cast your vote elsewhere. You have the capacity to punish the ANC for these misdeeds; come 2019 make proper use of your cross.

Issued by UDM