By BAKANG MOKOTO

South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) said it will delay the payments of the COVID-19 social relief grant for March and April 2021 due to the transition in government financial years. 

SASSA spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi said the end of March, is the end of the financial year for the government and various administrative tasks are required before any payments which relate to the previous financial year can be made. 

“SASSA is currently busy with its end of financial year tasks, which has delayed payment. We have received confirmation of the extension of the relief grant on 11 February 2021, after all its administration systems had in fact been closed at the end of January 2021, which was the previously announced closing date for this grant. 

“The systems were reactivated immediately on receiving confirmation of the funding for the extension and the application channel was once again operational as from 13 February. A total of 86 363 new applications were received for February alone,” Letsatsi said.

He said they have received more than 10 million applications for this grant. Letsatsi further said they validate these applications on a monthly basis to ensure that payments are made to applicants who do qualify for the grant. 

“Payments for February were thus made at the end of February and early March 2021. The applications for March were validated as usual after the payments for February had been completed, but could not be extracted for payment before 31 March 2021.  

“All private and public institutions whose processes constitute dependencies have been roped in and are working tirelessly with SASSA to stabilise the situation. We would like to apologise for this break in the payments and would like to reassure all deserving applicants for the relief grant who have been affected those payments will be made as soon as the administrative processes have been completed,” he said.

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By Bonolo Kgarane

Taung-Following charges of fraud leveled against five Greater Taung municipal workers ,the spokesperson Charity Molikoe has welcomed the decision taken by court yesterday(Monday) of prosecuting the workers.

They were arrested and charged with defrauding South African Security agency(SASSA), child support grants worth more than R15000.

Charity Molikoe outlined that no one is ever be above the law. So they wil deal swiftly with perpetrators.

“As municipality,we are working hand in hand with the special investigating unit to get everyone found guilty to come out clean”

“We are awaiting a report from the unit to give recommendations to the municipality which will then have a clear map of the way forward” She said. 

Meanwhile,Cope parliamentarian in the North West province, Nikiwe Num, has also lashed hard the involvement of one of Cope councilor who was among the convicted municipal workers.

Keitumetse Chalmans was elected as a Cope councilor on the previous elections.

Soon after that, according to the statement she gave in court she started receiving old age worth R1180.00 from Department of Social Development Children and People with Disabilities, through (SASSA) since from June 2011 till June 2012, despite her public service work.

During an interview with the media Nikiwe Num, said they will conduct a thorough internal disciplinary measures on a bid to instill the value of none tolerance to corruption and fraud.

She further welcomed the decision taken by court and said Cope will also ensure that the money that the convicted owes, goes back to the coffer of the state to benefit those are in need, Num has also called upon the members of Cope and the Public to elect people with integrity in leadership positions and deal away with electing bubblies and self-centered individuals who aim to enriching themselves

All five convicted were given a six months suspended sentence and given an instruction to repay all the money they owe to SASSA on a monthly base.  

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