DA stages a sit-in outside ConCourt in support of Sassa application

A group of Democratic Alliance supporters staged a protest outside the Constitutional Court on Wednesday in support of NGO Black Sash’s application to the court.

Black Sash wants the highest court in the land to play an oversight role in the payment of social grants.

The application comes as there are just over two weeks left before the contract with Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) expires.

Sassa and Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini do not oppose the relief sought by Black Sash.

DA’s shadow minister for social development Bridget Masango said the party is in full support of Black Sash’s application.

The DA’s application to the Constitutional Court to be permitted to join Black Sash in its application was denied.

“We’ve come here to say the grants have to be paid within the ambit of the law. We are also saying the minister must go.

“She has failed to fulfill her duties. She was given an opportunity to look after the poor‚” she said.

Masango said the DA also agree with Black Sash’s argument that the “illegal” deductions on social grants has to come to an end.

“The deductions in the already meagre grants must come to an end.”

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday will hear arguments from Black Sash‚ while Corruption Watch and the Post Office will ask to be admitted as friends of the court.

Freedom Under Law (FUL) also seeks to be admitted as a second applicant in the matter.

The court in 2014 declared the five-year Sassa contract with CPS‚ signed in 2012‚ invalid due to tender irregularities.

However‚ the court allowed CPS to continue administering the grants‚ while Sassa devised an in-house payment system.

But on March 3 this year‚ Sassa and the Department of Social Development informed the court that it was not in a position to take over the payment functions from CPS.