One of the first priorities of the democratic government was to address the issue of poverty. The Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP provided a framework on how this would be facilitated and the kind of environment that will enable poverty to be progressively eradicated. The key objective of the RDP is to improve the quality of life for all South Africans, in particular, the most marginalised sections of our communities.
The significant factor to be lifted from the above is that this objective should be achieved through a process of empowerment. This will enable the poor to uplift themselves out of poverty and also enable them to be part of the economy. The strategy for meeting basic needs is one of the key programmes of the RDP. It is underpinned by four pillars. One of this speaks to the establishment of a social security system and other safety nets to protect the poor, the disabled, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
Since 2007, the ANC has developed a framework called, Comprehensive Social Security Strategy. We have over the past few years increased the capacity of the state to ensure the acceleration of the implementation of the Comprehensive Social Security Strategy system, which is why we have committed to over the next five years to make the Comprehensive Social Security cover for the majority of our people.
One of the objectives of Sassa in the 2019-20 financial year, is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the administration of the administration of the social assistance of the programme. Sassa in the Fifth Parliament reported that it will undertake five activities during the transitional period between 2018 and 2021. This is a period when Sassa will implement a hybrid payment model through the South African Post Office, to make payments and online payments through commercial banks and retailers.
The activities identified were introduction of the new Sassa cards, management of the new Sassa cards, collaboration with other spheres of government, management of new payment mechanisms, management of biometrics management system. We note the part that between 2017- and 2018, Sassa began its journey towards stabilisation. This period saw Sassa began its transition from the old social payment system to
a hybrid system. The new system entails payment being made through the South African Post Office, commercial banks and retailers.
Steady progress had been made by Sassa in meeting the deliverables in the transition. Sassa is initiated collaboration with other spheres of government; this is seen in it signing a master service agreement and service level agreement with the South African Post office in September and November 2018.
It also collaborated with the Department of Home Affairs to establish one- on-one verification biometrics data and interfaces biometric data with Home Affairs National Identification System, HANIS to enable production of new Sassa/SAPO cards. It is also important for it to partner with departments like Small Business Development and Small Business and Co- operatives to achieve its goal of ensuring that social grants payments stimulates the local economy.
During the current financial year, Sassa and SAPO will develop a plan of action for infrastructure upgrades and provision of necessary fatalities at post office to meet needs of beneficiaries. The Fourth and Fifth Parliament adopted a recommendation that Sassa initiates a process to draft amendments to the Sassa Act, to make
provision for the establishment of a Sassa board. We urge the Minister within the current financial year, to ensure that the department and Sassa work in ensuring that this is resolved.
The Minister should ensure that Sassa rolls out its programme of linking social grants beneficiaries to economic opportunities. Sassa has over the past few years been confronted by challenges with enabled fraud and corruption to persist. Without dwelling on this challenge, what remains important is how fraud and corruption are being addressed. As a mechanic of unfolding good governance, as of the 31 March 2019, Sassa has been able to finalise 90% of reported theft and corruption, that is what is important to us.
It is easy to talk about corruption and people stealing but what is important to us is what we do with the information that we get. We are saying, there are cases and 95% of the cases are resolved. We welcome the review of the fraud management strategy to align with the latest development, including the Sassa/POSA agreement.
The concern is on the absence of the senior manager in the fraud management unit since 2016. We urge the Minister to ensure that during the current financial year, Sassa fills the position of the senior manager in the fraud management unit; this is very critical,
Comrade Minister. The target to review fraud management strategy and implement it in 2020-21, should be aligned with the availability of human resources.
In Sekhukhune in Limpopo, where I come from, our communities are very religious - very religious Christian communities.
Sepedi:
Ke kwa gore go nale dikereke tse di tseyang 10% ya ...
English:
... the Sassa grants from the beneficiaries as part of giving to some ... I don't know whether to call them tsotsis, bafundisi or what. But hon Minister, we need to follow this up and make sure that this kind of crime does not happen; we need to nip it in the bud.
We welcome the stride made by Sassa to procure a biometric solution for users. The beneficiaries' biometric enrolment was deployed to local offices, its enrolment commenced in 2018-19. We are concerned that the implementation of the biometric system was suspended in October 2018, following a dispute with labour. A middle ground has to be reached on resolving labour disputes because this biometric
system has to be implemented in order to reduce, fraud, theft and corruption associated with passwords.
This lack of biometric system has led to criminals and unruly elements and corrupt officials at local offices accessing the system and changing the banking details of the beneficiaries; thus giving password to their little friends. Hence there have been unauthorised withdrawals from beneficiaries' accounts. In my village, an old lady told me, not only one person, quite a number of people complained about the deductions from their Sassa grants and some of the deductions were linked to airtime or cellular phone. This person, who had a deduction for a cell phone, does not even have a cell phone. So, we need to follow all these things so that these people who steal from the poor be locked up in jail.
Yesterday, a friend of mine, a person I was in detention with was gunned down in Mogalakwena for fighting corruption - killed in broad daylight. So, fighting corruption goes a very long way. Your commitment in fighting corruption can cost you your life but that doesn't mean that those of us who are prepared to confront corruption head on, should not worry that we will be killed. I am really disturbed by this and I thank you, Deputy Chairperson. [Applause.]