Sassa: There's no need to answer questions‚ Zuma tells ministers

President Jacob Zuma has reassured South Africans that social grants will be paid on April 1.

“It’s unfortunate that people have been going ahead of events … they will get their pay and the country must not take this matter as if a problem has arisen‚” Zuma told SABC in Jakarta‚ Indonesia.

Zuma told the broadcaster there was no crisis and cautioned ministers against engaging in public spats — a possible reference to a standoff between social development minister Bathabile Dlamini and Finance Minister. The two ministries have openly disagreed about how the grants process should unfold.

“I’d like to appeal to the Ministers themselves‚ that they should not talk in public and answer questions. They must work on what we have agreed‚ and pay people on the date‚” Zuma said.

“Talking to the country and answering questions is not helping. In fact it helps to fertilise the situation where people are speculating.”

The president was commenting on recent confusion over whether the Department of Social Development had managed to secure a contract from a grant distribution agency.

The Constitutional Court had declared the department’s previous contract with Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) irregular‚ but CPS was allowed to continue with the roll-out until another service provider had been appointed.

In recent weeks‚ it has become clear that no such appointment has been made. Reports have suggested that Dlamini has been aware of the pending crisis for months.

Dlamini said on Sunday that a new contract with CPS had been sealed‚ but not yet been signed‚ raising questions about the readiness of the department to distribute social grants in about three weeks.