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A briefing by the South African Social Security Agency of South Africa (SASSA) to the Standing Committee on Social Development in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament yesterday has revealed ongoing systemic challenges within SASSA, with no clear plan to resolve them. The briefing, informed by unannounced oversight visits and direct engagement with beneficiaries, highlighted critical inefficiencies that continue to undermine the agency’s ability to serve vulnerable communities effectively.

Key issues identified during oversight visits include:

• Staff shortages: Persistent vacancies in senior positions and an overreliance on acting staff have severely hindered operations.
• Card migration issues: The shift from gold SASSA cards to black Postbank cards has created confusion and disruption, with only six active card replacement sites available in the Western Cape.
• Excessive queues: Beneficiaries are subjected to long wait times due to poor communication, inefficient systems, and a lack of digital application support at the community level.
• Fraud and exploitation: Reports of fraud, including a recent case in Malmesbury, and individuals selling queue spaces add to the strain on beneficiaries.
• Infrastructure challenges: Many SASSA offices are under-resourced, with infrastructure issues flagged for escalation to relevant provincial departments.

Standing Committee members also stressed that these findings are based on firsthand oversight and engagements, not political motives. They emphasized the urgency of addressing these inefficiencies, particularly given SASSA’s crucial role in supporting vulnerable communities.

MPP Wendy Kaizer-Philander said: "It is deeply concerning that SASSA’s response to these challenges has been largely reactive, addressing individual findings from our oversight visits instead of implementing a cohesive plan to rebuild the institution. Without a clear turnaround strategy, these inefficiencies will persist, leaving citizens to bear the brunt of systemic failures."

To tackle these issues, SASSA Western Cape has committed to participating in public outreach initiatives from early 2025, as part of a Standing Committee resolution. These efforts aim to engage directly with affected communities to understand and address their needs.

Despite having no direct mandate over SASSA, the Western Cape Government continues meet with SASSA management and advocate for improved service delivery and the rights of beneficiaries. However, the national Department of Social Development must take decisive action and develop a clear and measurable plan to affect reforms so that SASSA can fulfil its mandate.

Issued by Wendy Kaizer-Philander MPP - DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Social Development